The Unbroken Saga Book Two: My Worst Friend
by SilentLaughter
Summary: "One would imagine that life for Riley Warring, the girl that had helped Harry Potter or the Boy Who Lived keep the Sorcerer's Stone out of the clutches of Voldemort would be better over the summer. After all, she had made three friends; Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger..." Sequel to Book One A Beginning please read first!
1. Prelude:A Horrible Start to the Summer

Prelude~ A Horrible Start To The Summer

One would imagine that life for Riley Warring, the girl that had helped Harry Potter or the Boy Who Lived keep the Sorcerer's Stone out of the clutches of Voldemort would be better over the summer. After all, she had made three friends; Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, along with a woman by the name of Thea Gray who was a witch hiding herself who had come to work at Mrs. Eleanor Dames Orphanage where Riley still lived who was partial to Riley's side in almost every matter. Instead, Riley found herself trying to avoid being asked too many questions from the girls about what school she goes to, what it is like, where is it and such. Though they are all still completely scared of her still, that doesn't mean they aren't curious about where she'd gone off to for school. All they know was that it was a private boarding school in the country—and that was all they were told by Mrs. Dames who wouldn't say a word more. The few things that had changed since her having gone to Hogwarts was she now had her own bedroom and an owl to send letters to her friends. Every Friday she would write three letters, one for each friend, and send them out at night when it would be harder for any of the girls at the orphanage to see the owl taking flight. Many couldn't figure out why an owl, but she was able to make up a story that she had found it with a broken wing and had nursed it back to health. They didn't buy it, but they weren't about to question her. The letters would come like clockwork, but soon she began to notice that Harry's letters began to dribble before stopping altogether. At this she was disheartened because she had thought they had formed such a tight friendship over the school year. Why would he just suddenly stop writing to her? Then she found out that he had stopped writing to both Ron and Hermione—so it wasn't just her. Ron and Hermione expressed their concern for him, worried that his uncle and aunt might have done something to keep him from sending letters. In one letter, Ron asked Riley if she'd be willing to break Harry out for his birthday—well—their shared birthday but she said to him in reply,

"And how would I get there Ron?" to which he never replied back having apparently never gotten that far in planning. During all this, Mrs. Dames kept her distance from Riley though made sure that Riley kept up her chores and did her end of the work throughout the summer. She loathed the fact the brat had so much more freedom, but couldn't do a damn thing about it. Her employee, Miss Gray, often was the one to deal with Riley and would discipline her to Mrs. Dame's standards—when in reality the two had figured out a way to get around having Thea to use the rod. Thea would take Riley into a room, lock the door, and use the rod against the wall while Riley cried and pleaded for it to stop there for making Mrs. Dames happy and the other children think she was getting her punishment. Mrs. Dames wasn't any the wiser—if anything she was incredibly foolish for believing any of this was even remotely true! Thea was wonderful to the children, treating each of them with equal amounts of respect and discipline though had to show a bit harsher side to Riley to make Mrs. Dames happy. Though—if something broke or something went missing it would turn up rather quickly or be fixed sooner than normal which everyone found odd, but not strange like with Riley. As for the children of the orphanage they were the same, except for Marie who had returned while Riley was away. As soon as Riley had returned Marie, now fifteen, was hell bent on making her life a living nightmare. Marie had spent several months in a special institution for her 'mental breakdown episode' that had been caused from 'serious delusional trauma'—but Marie knew what had really caused it—Riley the witch. And she was sure to catch the little beast in the act. It was during while Riley was outside reading by her yew tree, wand as always hidden tucked away by her waist, that Marie came over. Riley noticed her coming but said nothing, hoping that she'd just go away with no such luck however.

"What are you reading?" Marie asked snatching the book away to see it was a Charles Dickens book and snorted wondering aloud,

"Why are you even bothering with this?"

"Because I want to." Riley said evenly but Marie smirked saying,

"Is this something Miss Gray gave you?" because of from one of her pockets she pulled out a box of matches and Riley's eyes widened as she said,

"You wouldn't!" but Marie had already lit the match saying,

"Why not?" and dropping the match box was hovering the book over the now sparking lit match as Riley stood to try and reach for the book to save it. Only Marie laughing let the book catch—yet it caught so quickly that she dropped it to the ground that hadn't had rain in a week and a half. Riley watched in slow motion horror as the book already partially on fire hit the box of matches on the dry weed covered ground and screamed stepping back several paces. Looking up to Marie for help, she saw her figure going towards the house—but not for help. In Marie's mind—let the witch burn is what she was thinking. Coughing and trying not to inhale the quickly gathering smoke, Riley remembered reading a spell to cast water and tried to recall it. Only she was under aged and couldn't do magic! But—this was to save her life! What if no one got to her in time! But before she could even try and consider the options she heard someone shouting,

"Aguamenti!" and watched with watery eyes from the soot and ash as the fire began to be washed away and the figure of Thea appeared. Collapsing onto her knees, Riley continued to cough and sputter as Thea came over in a rush hiding her wand and asking,

"What happened?"

"Marie—tried—to—" Riley started to say but stopped short from chest pain due to talking. Thea helped her to stand and ushered her inside the house where everyone was coming out including Mrs. Dames who demanded,

"What happened?!"

"It seems one of the girls was trying to set Riley on fire." Thea said with such a deadly serious voice that even Mrs. Dames didn't argue as Thea led Riley to her second floor bedroom. Once there and with the door shut Riley collapsed onto the ground and started shaking horribly all over, tremors of utter fear raked her body as she sobbed.

"They hate me! They tried to set me on fire!" she sobbed pounding the ground with her fist as Thea knelt beside her hushing her softly and gently stroking her hair that was sooty and filled with ash.

"And I'm going to make sure that Marie gets the rod for it. She had no right to leave you there." Thea told her softly but Riley said in a muffled voice,

"I—I remembered a spell about water but couldn't use it since I'm under aged and—"

"Hush, easy now alright? Why don't you go take a bath and clean up while I go talk to Marie?" Thea asked her so that Riley looked up before nodding, sniffling a bit before watching her leave the bedroom. Managing to stand, she went to get her things to head for the bathroom when a voice from the corner of the room said,

"That was a stupid thing of you to do." It was Marie, who had gone upstairs to Riley's room and had found her Hogwarts trunk and had found it unlocked—the one time she had left it unlocked. Stepping out of the shadows, Marie appeared holding one of Riley's textbooks and said,

"So you really are a witch are you? I should have let you burn." Riley felt an all-consuming rage fill her as Marie chuckled tossing the book so that it hit Ebony off his perch.

"Leave my room Marie." Riley demanded but she made a mock hurt face before saying,

"No, I think I'll just take care of what I should have finished outside!" and then she leaped for Riley who stood covered in ash and soot and screamed at the top of her lungs,

"DIE!" she watched as Marie suddenly froze stiff as a board and knew that spell and turned to see Thea with her wand out looking grim.

"Thea," Riley begged but she looked cross, for once at Riley. Coming into the room, she didn't care about Marie who fell flat onto her stomach as she kept her full attention on Riley saying to her,

"Where you about to use magic on her?"

"She almost killed me and was going to try to do it again!" Riley said in defense but Thea shook her head telling her,

"That doesn't matter, you know even if in defense under age magic is off limits and against the rules."

"So now you're on her side?!" Riley shrieked feeling astonished and as if her one savoir she was giving up on her. Upon seeing that that was what Riley was feeling, Thea moved to change what she meant but Riley was already stepping away from her saying,

"Then you're just like the rest of them, even if you are a witch like me. You hate me too! You don't like me you just pretend to because you were assigned to me by the Ministry! I'm just some babysitting job!"

"Riley," Thea tried to reason with her only Riley, grabbing Marie's shoelace, dragged her outside of her bedroom then shoved the woman with amazing strength out of her room too saying,

"If you come in here, you might not find me in here when you do." then she both slammed and locked her door—with a spell she had been working on since she had gotten back that when Thea tried to open the door—it wouldn't unlock with any charm or spell she knew.


	2. One:Days Before Hogwarts

Chapter One~ Days Before Hogwarts

Riley spent the rest of the day in her bedroom, ignoring the pleading from Thea to open the personalized enchanted door lock so that they might talk. Finally when it was nearing dinner time Riley listened to the woman's heels disappear down the hall and knowing she was gone made her smile as Riley waited another ten minutes before quickly rushing to bathe. Once in the second floor shared bathroom, she took a quick shower and changed into pajamas seeing as if she wasn't about to leave her room anytime soon. Back in her bedroom, she decided to read up on her new required text books for the term since that would be the only true time she'd be with people who understood her, and cared about her. At that thought as if reading her mind, she heard a tapping at her window and turned to see Hermione's owl with a letter in its beak. Smiling, she went over to the window and opened it allowing the owl to fly in and land on her bedpost as she took the letter and got a bit of raw meat she keeps in a jar for the owls who give her letters.

"Thank you." she said watching the owl fly away before sitting down on her bed to open the letter and read it.

"Dear Riley, I hope you are doing well and are excited for the new school term. Have you gotten your books yet? I haven't been able to since my parents have been busy, perhaps we can go together to Flourish and Blotts to get them when we can? Wouldn't that be marvelous? I heard from Ron, he's been trying to write to Harry again with no luck—I do fear he's going to try something with the twins. Hope he hasn't convinced you to do anything too rash. You might get into trouble you know. Thinking of you, Hermione." Riley smiled and chuckled at the last bit before realizing that if Ron was going to try anything than he would have done so already—their birthday had already passed. Frowning at the thought, she got out her quill and ink well before writing a quick letter back to Hermione which she gave to Ebony who took off into the sky. Exhaling as she watched him fly into the cloudy skies above, Riley felt her stomach grumble and groaned knowing she'd have to get something to eat. So begrudgingly she opened her door, making sure that her Hogwarts trunks were locked before heading downstairs. By now it was free time so the girls were mostly doing whatever they wished. So they were surprised to see Riley out and some whispered as she went to the kitchen to make something to eat. When Thea spotted her she asked,

"How are you feeling Riley?"

"Fine." she replied coldly as she finished up making her sandwich before moving to go back upstairs but Thea stopped her with,

"I'd like to talk to you in my office please." Riley scowled but followed her hearing snickers making her turn around on her heel causing the girls snickering to flee in terror. Upon entering Thea's office she sat down on the plush navy blue couch and began eating as Thea took a seat behind her desk of English Oak.

"Riley, I am so sorry for what happened today. You nearly died because of another girl's hatred towards the unknown and I was too upset that you might have used magic to think that you were hurting." she began so that Riley stayed quiet as Thea watched her with careful eyes, examining her downwards stare.

"I want to let you know that I have sent a letter to the Ministry asking if you can be moved to a different location for your protection. It is perfectly clear to me that the longer you stay here—the more dangerous it is to your very well being."

"But I'm going back to Hogwarts in a few days Thea, I have only until then to deal with these bloody idiots." Riley said smiling at the thought of being free of this place again so that she saw Thea nod her head though her eyes showed no signs of her shared joy or enthusiasm. Thea only smiled one that didn't reach her eyes as she stood saying,

"Well then why don't you go upstairs and go to bed with that happy thought. It's nearly nine o'clock surprisingly." raising an eyebrow but saying nothing, Riley said goodnight and left her office before putting away the now empty plate in the kitchen. As she headed upstairs she heard Mrs. Dames in her office and—to her surprise—Marie's voice!

"I swear Mrs. Dames! It explains everything—she has to be a witch!" Marie was saying so that Riley just forced herself to continue past the closed door to her bedroom where she turned off the light and got into bed. It was sometime during the night that she was woken by the distinct sound of an owl knocking on her window and groggily waking sat up to see Ebony's eyes in the window.

"Coming." she mumbled sleepily trudging towards the window to get the letter he had in his beak as he settled back into his cage while Riley shut her window and sat back on her bed. Turning on the bedside lamp, she saw the letter was from Hermione and opening it read,

"Dear Riley, what if you are right? What if Ron and the twins already did something involving Harry! How will we know?! Wouldn't that be illegal or something? Wizard kidnap of some sort? Perhaps you should write to Harry seeing as if you are closest to him and try to find out where he is. He'd tell you instead of me. If you do hear from him let me know!" confused by what she meant by her words, probably due to her sleep foggy brain, Riley put the letter back on her bedside table and turned off the light to go back to sleep. The next morning she woke to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door and groaning asked,

"Who is it?"

"It's Thea dear, Mrs. Dames wishes to see you." eyes widening in horror, Riley shot out of bed and dressed quickly in jeans and a crimson sweater before opening her door to find Thea looking apologetically down at her.

"What did I do?" Riley asked though Thea only steered her towards the stairs saying nothing as they went down them making Riley nervous and fearful beyond words. Not so much as when she dealt with Voldemort, but enough so that she wondered what was going on. Upon coming to the office door Thea stopped and opened it to allow Riley to see Mrs. Dames inside sitting behind her desk alone in the room.

"Go on in, I'll be right outside." Thea assured so that Riley stepped inside hearing the door shut behind her.

"Have a seat please Riley." Mrs. Dames said evenly a stoic expression on her face as Riley sat down before her desk folding her hands in her lap.

"Marie has come forward saying that you are a witch. Now what are we to do about this predicament? We certainly can't have the other girls knowing now can we?" Mrs. Dames said smoothly so that Riley shook her head and Mrs. Dames asked,

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"No Mrs. Dames I'm afraid I don't." Riley said wondering if she was trying to aggravate her—or test her in some way. Watching the woman nod, Riley watched her stand as she slowly came around saying,

"Marie also told me that she doesn't feel safe here with you. Now—as caretaker of all the girls here I have to keep them safe and make sure that they are so. If they are not I have failed at my job. It seems, that if I have a problem on my hands now. For I have someone who poses a threat to the other girls and could very well harm them with means other than normal. Now Riley, be honest with me—would you say that you haven't thought of hurting one or more of these girls?" now Riley knew this was indeed a trap and keeping a cool composed mask of indifference on her face said,

"I'll be honest with me if you'll be honest with me in return." the older woman raised an eyebrow saying,

"Understandable."

"Then yes I have, but now have you thought of harming me while thinking that I was a witch?" Riley watched the woman's face before her burn red with temper before her chest started to heave and she finally spat out,

"Yes! You ungrateful, spiteful, shameless hateful brat!"

"Then it seems we are even, only Miss Gray is an even unbiased person in this matter and knows both of us. She if it comes down to it can decided in court whether or not I am harmful to others." Riley said smirking as Mrs. Dames at the word 'court' grew pale and her eyes widened in fear. She knew that if she was taken to court over any dispute and lost—her reputation was gone forever. And she couldn't and wouldn't lose that. Riley had won the argument—but even so knew she would have to tread carefully around the place until Thea could cover up Mrs. Dames memories.

"Get out of my office." she spat so that Riley shrugged and left seeing Thea waiting and told her everything that had been said. Thea gasped in shock and told her,

"You went that far?!"

"I had too Thea, she was trying to corner me in, and you don't do that to a snake." Thea raised an eyebrow but said nothing as she said,

"Well, why don't you have breakfast before you start your chores while I talk to her?" Riley nodded and went off to see what was on the chart for her to do. See, when Thea arrived she set up a chart system for everyone to know what their chore for the time, day, and week and so on would be. So Riley had breakfast in the kitchen alone as normal before she went to discover she had gardening. Riley went outside to the figure out what needed to be done. All she could see really was weeding, so she went to the tool shed to get gardening gloves and a bucket to put the weeds in before starting in the front garden. Halfway through she stopped when she noticed overhead the clouds were starting to roll in and that it was getting breezy. She began to speed up her work only to realize that she felt as if she was being watched, so as she worked tried to look around without seeming like she was.

"Riley," a voice called so that she looked up to see it was Thea who smiled waving her back into the house saying,

"It's almost dinner time and it's about to rain, come on inside!" as Riley stood she felt rain beginning to fall and darted under the porch just as the skies opened and it began to pour. Shaking her head to speckle the deck with water, Riley went back inside taking off her wet sneakers first before grabbing dinner. As the girls ate and Riley sat alone in the kitchen it continued to rain so that a resounding 'BOOM!' of thunder shook the house and from outside lighting illuminated every corner of the manor. A few of the younger girls screamed in fear as Riley sat feeling her scar burning and flinched trying to will the pain away.

"Riley are you alright?" she heard so turned to see Thea standing there so honestly shook her head saying,

"My scar hurts." Thea's eyes widened before she said,

"Go up to your room and lie down, I'll make you a potion to ease the pain and hopefully get you some sleep." Riley didn't need to be told twice as she started for the stairs before having to grab onto the wall when a searing pain stabbed her shoulder. Leaning on the wall, she panted forcing herself upstairs and by the time she was in her bedroom she doubled over onto her bed hardly able to shut her door. Ebony hooted from his cage as Riley flinched and twitched on top of her bed trying to force the pain away. With eyes sealed tight, she didn't see or hear the door open until someone was sitting beside her.

"Here Riley, drink this—it's a Calming Draft infused with a Sleeping Potion." Thea's voice said so that Riley opened her mouth and dank the potion greedily willingly wanting anything to take away the searing fire like pain in her collarbone. Thea felt her forehead before helping her into the sheets and blanket and sat there watching Riley squirm a bit before the potion took effect. When her breathing finally evened out and she was in a deep restful sleep Thea exhaled deeply for the first time since Riley woke that morning and turned to the corner of the room to say,

"What now Minerva? This doesn't bode well for her." and appearing from the shadows stepped a tawny cat that transformed into a woman who wore a forest and hazel dress with spectacles before her eyes.

"I don't like it either Thea, I've been watching to see for myself and the way that these girls treat her—nearly setting Miss Warring on fire! Why I've never! I would gladly take it up with the Ministry myself if she only had someone of a living bloodline to take her in. Sadly though Potter isn't of blood and any of her kin are dead along with her parents." they both hushed as Riley mumbled in her sleep before Minerva said,

"We will just have to wait until she returns to Hogwarts where she will be safe."


	3. Two:To Diagon Alley and New Acquaintaces

Chapter Two~ To Diagon Alley and New Acquaintances

The day Riley was to go with Thea to shop for her new required text books and items for Hogwarts was a thrilling day for her. She'd be out of the house and hopefully see her friends—if she could find them that is. Riley wore her Hogwarts robe with its Gryffindor crest in pride as Thea woke her early so they could leave and as they entered Thea's office she said,

"I've been able to connect this fireplace to the Floo Powder network." she said this with pride as she indicated the jar of powder on the mantel as Riley asked,

"Floo Powder?"

"It's a means of transportation to get from place to place. Now, we'll be going to Diagon Alley this way. Here," she handed Riley a handful of power and told her to step into the somehow enlarged fireplace that was clear of anything, even ash.

"Now in a strong, clear voice I need you to say 'Diagon Alley' and when you go through wait for me on the other side alright?" Thea said smiling so that Riley, nodding her head said,

"Diagon Alley!" before dropping the power to be engulfed in the green fire and closing her eyes felt no heat only a strange tingling sensation on her whole body. However when she opened her eyes she found herself in an extremely dark and foreboding shop where everything inside gave off a wave of wicked energy to her. Looking around in utter amazement she didn't see the figure coming towards her until they spoke.

"Lost are you?" gasping, she turned to see a man with straight platinum blond hair and cold icy eyes wearing expensive robes holding a black cane with a snake topper, emeralds for the snakes eyes. Willing herself to be strong, Riley said,

"Just looking around actually." the man raised a slender eyebrow saying,

"Interested in the Dark Arts are you? And so young." Riley looked around again and spying the door said,

"Yes well, this is a fascinating store but I best leave."

"So soon? Why not stay a bit longer, I could show you a few rather interesting bits of artifacts." the man said yet Riley was already heading for the door so that the man frowned before asking,

"Then at least may I have your name child?" wary of whether or not to give it to him, Riley chose it wouldn't be harmful so said,

"Riley Warring." the man did a flourishing bow saying,

"Lucius Malfoy, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss Warring." Riley felt herself pale as she realized that he was the mirror image of Draco—only the adult version! He chuckled as she went to open the door only screamed when a man with a horrid snarl was staring down at her looking ready to strike. Only to her surprise Lucius stepped in front of her saying,

"It's alright my friend, she's with me." then he took her hand and pulled her out of the shop, wrapping an arm around her shoulder causing his robe to drape around it for protection. Feeling her heart beating rapidly she glanced up at him saying,

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy." he smiled down at her saying,

"I think it's best to return you to Diagon Alley now don't you think?" Riley nodded rapidly before following him through the tiny narrow alleyway and out back into the familiar streets of Diagon Alley.

"I need to find Thea." Riley said forlornly so that Lucius asked her calmly,

"What does she look like then?"

"She has strawberry blond hair and she's wearing a berry colored robe with lace around the collar." Riley told him so that he peered over the many heads of the people in the crowded alley before saying,

"I do believe I see her going into Flourish and Blotts." Riley smiled and left his side instantly going towards the store where she entered to find it crowded and packed with people but she noticed one of them to be Thea.

"Thea!" she called so that she turned around from talking to two familiar faces and smiled in relief saying as she came over hugging her tightly,

"Thank goodness you're alright Riley! I was so worried when you didn't come out the other end! Where did you go, what happened?!" Riley was about to answer when Lucius stepped forward saying smoothly,

"I found her in Knockturn Alley and returned her here. She was clearly lost and needed assistance getting her footing." Thea stared in a horrid wonder at the man who smirked saying,

"Hello Theodora, it's been far too long hasn't it?" Riley felt as if her jaw would drop to the floor any second but it was saved when she noticed three figures outside. Wiggling out of Thea's hold, she raced outside to see Hagrid along with Hermione and Harry.

"Guys!" she squealed in delight tackling both Hermione and Harry in a three-way hug causing them to laugh and giggle before they pulled back to individually hug her.

"How'd you get here Riley?" Hermione asked so that Riley told her,

"Floo Powder with Thea, though I had a bit of trouble along the way. I'm fine now though so don't worry about it." she added so that the two exchanged glances before they went inside to find the Weasley's inside along with Hermione's parents. As they entered Riley finally figured out the reason for all the chaos as someone called out,

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Gilderoy Lockhart!" as the crowd cheered Riley stood by her friends having given her hug to Ron who said,

"Mum fancies him." a photographer was taking pictures of the man; with honey golden curls and wearing a periwinkle blue outfit with matching cape, he smiled brightly for the camera as his seemingly endless stacks of books with his moving smiling face covered the front.

"It can't be—Harry Potter?" Lockhart said at one point noticing Harry before pulling him away from Riley's side making her frown in distaste as the man started to talk saying as the photographer went crazy with his camera,

"Nice big smile, Harry. Together you and I rate the front page! Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is. When young Harry stepped into Flourish and Blotts this morning to purchase my autobiography, Magical Me—which incidentally is currently celebrating its 27th week atop the Daily Prophet best seller list, he had no idea that he would, in fact, be leaving—with my entire collected works, free of charge. Now ladies?" Riley rolled her eyes as the man shoved Harry aside to take photos and sign autographs so that Mrs. Weasley caught him saying to him,

"Harry, now you give me those, and I'll get them signed. All of you go wait outside, that's it Ron." the group, Riley noticed to be the twins, the four of them and Ron's little sister Ginny, started to leave the store when Riley spotted Draco coming down a staircase saying in a snarky tone,

"I'll bet you loved that, didn't you Potter? Famous Harry Potter! Can't even go inside a bookshop without making the front page!" Riley snarled and was going to say something when Ginny stepped forward saying,

"Leave him alone." this caused Draco to smirk and chuckle as he looked between the younger red head and Harry to say in clear amusement,

"Ooh look Potter! You've got yourself a girlfriend!" but then someone tapped him on the shoulder and Riley noticed who it was as the person ushered him aside saying,

"Now, now Draco play nicely. Mr. Potter—Lucius Malfoy. We meet at last," as he spoke he used his cane to move some of Harry's hair aside so he could see his scar saying,

"Forgive me, your scar is legend as is of course, the wizard who gave it to you."

"Voldemort killed my parents, he was nothing more than a murderer." Harry said firmly so that Lucius raised a brow as he said easily,

"Hmm, you must be very brave to mention his name—or very foolish." only here Hermione spoke up saying haughtily,

"Fear of the name only increases the fear of the thing itself." at this Lucius turned to her and looked her over as if sizing her up saying,

"And you must be—Miss Granger. Yes Draco has told me all about you, and your parents. Muggles aren't they? Let me see—red hair—vacant expressions—tatty second hand book. You must be the Weasley's." the last bit Lucius said with a sneer, towards both Hermione and Ron's family so that Riley stood right in front of him saying,

"If all you're going to do is talk smack then you can just leave, no one wants to hear you spread hate like the plague or something." now he stood in shock that someone dare speak to him in such a manner as someone came over in a cheery voice belonging to someone who said,

"Children, it's mad in here! Let's go outside!" Lucius narrowed his eyes at the person behind the children and sneered out,

"Well, well, well, Weasley senior." turning to see who it was, Riley notice it was a friendly plump faced man with the same Weasley red hair and a hard expression who said,

"Lucius."

"Busy time at the Ministry Arthur, all those extra raids? I do hope they're paying you overtime, but judging by the state of this, I'd say not." Riley noticed he had picked up a few books in Ginny's cauldron and examined them before putting them back in before he stepped a bit closer saying,

"What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you for it?"

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." Arthur said calmly though it was clear to Riley that he was growing angry as Lucius clucked his tongue saying casually as if talking about the weather,

"Clearly, associating with Muggles—and I thought your family couldn't sink any lower. I'll see you at work." and then he did something that Riley wished he wouldn't have because he turned to her and gave her a flourishing bow saying,

"And it was a pleasure to have met you Miss Warring." before indicating his bewildered son to leave who only said to them,

"See you at school." when they left Riley felt everyone's eyes on her so that she turned to find them all staring at her—almost demanding an explanation as to why he would be nice to her—and spiteful to the rest of them.

"I—I got lost on the way here in Knockturn Alley and he—he helped me get back here?" she said shrugging her shoulders not knowing what else to say but the truth so that Hermione said,

"But why would Lucius Malfoy take any interest in you Riley?"

"It doesn't matter—let's just get out of here." Riley begged but Ron said,

"No, no way I want to know why Draco's crazy father is being nice to you!"

"I don't know ok!? Please guys seriously I have no clue as to why the King of Slytherins father is being nice to me. Just let's try and forget about it—I want to spend time with you guys and not worry over something or anything for the moment. Please?" Riley all but pleaded so that the others exchanges looks before nodding and they went to continue shopping, trying not to think about what had just happened.


	4. Three:HogwartsExpresswithMissingStudents

Chapter Three~ Hogwarts Express with Missing Passengers

The day of September 1st Riley woke with a grin that could brighten the world as she got dressed in normal clothes packing her new text books and tools for Hogwarts, getting Ebony ready to go. Once in the hallway she met with Thea who smiled down at her, so happy to see Riley grinning for once. Ever since the day in Diagon Alley she had withdrawn a bit after the run-in with Lucius Malfoy. Now however she was lively and bright, ready to start her new term at Hogwarts with her friends—eager to get there and see them again. They left the house with the other children watching as Thea packed the trunk of her car with Riley's Hogwarts trunk. As Riley climbed into the passenger seat, Thea got into the driver side and turned on the car before they took off towards London and Kings Cross Station.

"I can't wait Thea! What do you think I'll learn this year? Will there be another Quidditch game? Do you think Harry will win us the Cup again?" Riley asked Thea causing the woman to laugh looking at her saying to her,

"I don't know, but I do know you'll have a fantastic time." Riley beamed and as Kings Cross Station appeared she bounced in her seat causing Ebony in her lap and cage to hoot in annoyance. After parking and getting a trolley, the two entered the train station and Riley went to the gap between platforms 9 and 10 seeing Hermione saying goodbye to her parents.

"Hey Hermione!" she called so that Hermione turned and smiled as she introduced Thea to her parents before Thea ushered them to hurry up else they miss the train. So the two raced through the column to find the scarlet and gold Hogwarts Express waiting with smoke curling and students boarding.

"Have you seen Ron or Harry yet?" Hermione asked as they let the train workers take their luggage before boarding so that Riley shook her head telling her,

"Not since Diagon Alley, why?"

"It's just—I don't know maybe I'm being silly and we'll see them on the train." Hermione said as they found a compartment to sit in and Riley after taking a seat nodded saying,

"Of course, they have to take the train to get to Hogwarts silly." Hermione stuck out her tongue at Riley so that the two girls giggled before talking over what they had done over the summer—well—Hermione talked mostly while Riley listened. Then suddenly a head appeared and a voice asked,

"Mind if I sit with you?" turning, the two girls found it to be Ron's little sister Ginny who looked annoyed and upset so Riley smiled saying,

"Sure, come on in we don't bite." making her giggle as she took a seat beside Riley as she explained,

"Fred and George were being mean and wouldn't let me sit with them and I can't find Ron or Harry."

"What do you mean you can't find them?" Riley asked so that Ginny nodded saying to her,

"Well, Harry came with us to the train station and they were behind us on the way coming through the column. But I haven't been able to find Ron or Harry." Riley and Hermione exchanged looks as they suddenly heard the trains whistle and Hermione's eyes widened as she said,

"The trains going to leave!" gasping, Riley stood up and said in a rush,

"But they can't can they? With students missing the train?"

"They can I think, they have to get to Hogwarts on time." Hermione said but Riley was already out the door leaving Hermione to chase after her. the two girls fought their way through the crowded train filled with eager students and attendants until Riley found one who wasn't too busy and said,

"Two students are missing the train, it can't leave!" the attendant turned to see her and Hermione and shrugged saying,

"We best keep to the schedule, we have since the train started operation. Why ruin reputation for two who couldn't keep track of time?"

"But what if something terrible happened to them?" Hermione asked him sounding worried now but the man said,

"If it isn't the fault of Hogwarts Express or a part of Hogwarts Railway system then it's not our worry." then he was walking away leaving the two of them just standing there. Hermione felt horrid thinking the worst for her friends while Riley tried to figure out a way to find Harry and Ron.

"Maybe we can write an owl to them!" she said suddenly but Hermione, the voice of reason said,

"What if that doesn't work because they can't answer it?" Riley's shoulders sagged as they returned to the compartment and Ginny ever eager asked,

"So? What did you find out?" and they told her what the man had said leaving her starting to tear up thinking the worst for her brother. Hermione soothed her while Riley sat trying to figure out ways to find them.

"So, Potter and Weasley are missing are they?" a snotty voice asked making the three girls turn to see Draco standing in the doorway smirking triumphantly before saying,

"Maybe we can finally learn something without them being around, we won't need to worry about them stinking up the place!"

"Shut up Malfoy!" Riley snarled but he only laughed saying,

"It's just too cute! You and little Weasley having a crush on Potter brat! How pathetic!" he spat so that Riley stood up and stood in breathing distance from him before saying,

"Leave—Malfoy." he stared at her before snorting and glancing over at Hermione and Ginny turned around and left making Riley feel proud she got him to leave. As she closed the compartment door and sat down the three girls sat in a period of silence before Hermione said,

"We can all read up on what we need to learn."

"That's a good idea." Ginny said but Riley snorted saying,

"Only you would think that." this made Hermione frown though she knew it was meant without harm so the three got out a book to read before settling in. It wasn't long before they changed into their robes; Hermione and Riley into their Gryffindor robes and Ginny into her First Year robe. It was still unnerving that Harry and Ron weren't there as the train came into Hogsmeade Station with Hogwarts looming in the distance. Before they knew it, they were disembarking the train saying goodbye to Ginny who had to follow the other First Years. So Hermione and Riley went along with their year mates to be brought to the school by carriages. Riley thought that this would be great until she saw what they were being pulled by. Letting out a cry of surprise, she saw before her a large winged horse of pure ink black with skeleton like body, face with reptilian features and wide leathery wings reminding Riley of a bat.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked so that Riley said,

"Can't you see that?" Hermione turned between the carriage and her friend before realizing she was seeing nothing. Shaking her head, Hermione helped Riley into one of the few carriages saying under her breath,

"No, these carriages are pulled by themselves. It must be some sort of spell." Riley stared at her friend wondering why she couldn't see them as the carriage began to move. They sat in silence near their dorm mates Lavender and Parvati who chatted away endlessly. Once they arrived at the front gates they got out and entered into the familiar and welcoming Great Hall where Riley and Hermione both noticed a new face sitting at the Staff Table. For there where the DADA teacher sits was Gilderoy Lockhart himself trying to talk to Professor Snape who clearly wasn't paying any attention?

"What's he doing here?" Riley asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor Table but George was able to answer saying,

"He's apparently the new DADA teacher, I don't know how though—he's so flaky." at this Hermione slapped his shoulder saying,

"Nonsense! He's the brightest and handsomest wizard ever!" Riley raised an eyebrow at this before asking her with a cooing voice,

"Does Hermione got a crush?" making Hermione blush a bit and huff as she crossed her arms in defiance making the twins laugh outright and Riley giggle. Only they forgot about that as the Sorting Ceremony took place and they watched Ginny be placed into Gryffindor along with her family. As she came over she whispered,

"I still haven't seen Harry or Ron." making Hermione and Riley look at each other in amazement—could it be that they never made it to Hogwarts? And if so—why and what had happened? To Riley though when the Feast was over she would ask Professor McGonagall if she had seen them.


	5. Four:Finding the Boys and a Dream

Chapter Four~ Finding the Boys and a Dream

As the Beginning of Term Feast finally ended Riley had been able to convince Hermione to come with her to Professor McGonagall's office to ask about Harry and Ron. As they walked the familiar halls and corridors, Riley smiled proudly, happy to finally be home. Upon coming to the office door in Gryffindor Tower, they spotted two disheartened figures coming out that they instantly recognized.

"Harry! Ron!" they cried so that the two boys looked up and smiled, the four exchanging hugs and smiles as Hermione said,

"We were so worried about you! Not being able to find you on the train!"

"We thought something terrible had happened!" Riley added so that Ron nodded his head saying to them,

"Something did! The column onto the platform wouldn't let us on! And what's more, we drove my dad's car to follow the train else we wouldn't get here and then got attacked by a tree that tried to kill us! Then, if things couldn't get any worse Snape found us and was going to expel us but Dumbledore saved us saying it was up to McGonagall to decide!" both Riley and Hermione stared at them in shock as Harry told them sadly,

"It's true, McGonagall sent letters to both our families this very night. We're lucky we're not on the Express home." at this both boys expressions turned sad again so that Riley said,

"Then let's cheer you two up! Come on, I have some left over candy from the train we can all share!" so they went to the Gryffindor Common Room and found there Ginny writing in a book. She didn't seem to hear them as they settled in front of the fireplace, Ron telling the girls how he and the twins had broken Harry out of his uncle and aunt's house using his dad's flying car.

"You could have gotten your parents into so much trouble!" Hermione gasped but Ron waved his hand dismissively saying,

"But we didn't." Riley rolled her eyes knowing he probably had, but didn't want to ruin his mood more-so than right now as she glanced over at Ginny to see her furiously writing away. Intrigued, she tilted her head and called,

"Hey Ginny, what are you doing?" so that the First Year turned to them saying,

"Getting ahead in Potions." making the boys smile and laugh while Hermione said,

"That's very smart of you Ginny, Snape can be a jerk sometimes."

"Worse, he's the dungeon prat!" Ron said causing Riley to smack him atop the head for language making him scowl at her as Harry laughed saying with a wide beaming smile,

"I'm glad to be home." this made them all smile, though Riley was the only one who truly understood what he meant. They stayed up a bit longer before they went to their dorms to go to bed, needing sleep if they were to start school the next morning. As Riley started up to the Second Year dorms she was stopped by Ginny who said,

"Here," and handed her a folded pieces of paper making Riley blink and stare in confusion at the younger girl who darted into her own dorm and shut the door behind her. Shrugging, Riley found her things in the dorm and Ebony asleep in his cage as she changed into her pajamas and then sat on her four poster bed to open the folded page given to her by Ginny. Only she found the page—blank.

"Huh, weird." she said but too tired to complain, shrugged and set it aside before getting under the blanket and falling asleep. Suddenly she felt an odd sensation start to fill her, starting from her toes and working its way up to the top of her skull until she found herself in a classroom. Confused, Riley looked around thinking she had sleep walked here until she spotted a figure in the corner watching her.

"Who's there?" she demanded but the figure just stayed there, hands behind their back and shoulders straight.

"Show yourself!" she demanded again so that the figure stepped into the pale light to show a pale faced teenager, with dark brown curls and haunting beryl eyes that seemed soul piercing; he wore a Slytherin uniform. Looking down fearing she was in her pajamas, Riley found herself actually in her Gryffindor uniform and looked back up to see he hadn't moved but instead was smiling at her.

"Who are you?" she asked in slight worry not knowing what was going on or understanding what was happening. His smile widened a bit as he said,

"How about a trade, a name for a name?" furrowing her brows, Riley nodded and as he waved a hand for her to go first she said easily,

"Riley Warring."

"Tom Riddle, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." he bowed here before saying,

"I understand if you are concerned with what is happening, but I can assure you, you are in no harm's way or danger." Riley looked around seeing that there was nothing in the classroom that appeared to be dangerous or harmful, if anything it was just the two of them.

"Is this a dream?" she asked making him smile and say,

"In a form, I have come to you for help." Riley furrowed her brows deeper at this wondering what an upperclassman Slytherin would want with her for help. And how was he communicating with her anyway through her?

"What do you need help with?" she asked tentatively, worried about saying too much and giving away too much. The upperclassman stepped over saying easily,

"I need you to be my guide, see, I have lost my way and need to find it again."

"What does that mean?" Riley snorted so that he told her easily,

"Hogwarts; I need to guide me through it once more. It has been such a long time since I have walked these halls and corridors." here he seemed forlorn, almost lost sounding so that Riley couldn't help but feel a bit upset for him as he continued,

"You see, I have died—yet cannot pass on. Something is keeping me from doing so—something I think that is in this school. I need you to help me find it."

"Is that how you're talking to me?" Riley asked then so that he nodded smiling again telling her,

"You're quite clever aren't you? Yes that's how, I was able to find a likeminded soul and connect. Though when you wake I shall fade until next time I can do so. Though I don't know when that will be." again he trailed off sadly so that Riley for the first time smiled saying to him,

"Ok, I'll try and help you." he looked up and smiled in relief telling her,

"Thank you dearest." she felt herself flush at the endearment but then also thought she could hear Hermione's voice in the distance as the image around her started to fade. And soon—before long—she was waking from her strange dream and finding Hermione by her side looking worried. Already dressed, her friend exhaled and frowned saying to her once she was awake,

"Do you want to miss the first day of school or not?" Riley rubbed her eyes before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and mumbling an apology before going to dress in her uniform. Once done, she grabbed her backpack and raced with Hermione down to breakfast where they were almost late to. There, they met with the boys who said,

"About time you joined us." only Riley stuck her tongue out saying,

"I was just tired ok?"

"Tired, you almost didn't wake up!" Hermione cried loudly making Harry hush her so that the rest of the Great Hall didn't hear her. As they talked Riley thought over her dream and her meeting Tom. He seemed so withdrawn and had a powerful aura—yet even so he seemed to have some sort of edge that she couldn't quiet place or name. She had agreed to help him because he was dead and couldn't move on—and that to her was the worst sort of death. Yet how would she help him, be able to? Where would she begin?

"Riley, are you coming?" Hermione's voice called so that she blinked and looked to see the three of them were standing to go to the first class of the year and nodding, quickly stood to follow them. As they made their way outside to the Greenhouses, where they were to have Herbology, Riley glanced over at Ginny who looked oddly pale.

"Hey, are you ok Ginny?" she asked the younger girl who didn't seem to hear her, instead she was furiously writing in a book again—same as last night. Shrugging her shoulders, Riley followed the others outside to the Greenhouses where Professor Sprout would begin the first official class of the year. As they entered, Riley spied Draco who sneered at her and she sneered right on back almost like two dogs having a stare down.

"Don't bother Riley, he's just in a sour mood that we didn't get expelled." Harry said.


	6. Five:Mandrakes, Howlers,and Pixies oh my

Chapter Five~ Mandrakes, Howlers, and Pixies oh my!

Professor Sprout was a plump middle aged woman with gray hair wearing a dirt brown robe with green ties and earmuffs over her ears calling out,

"Morning everyone! Good morning everyone!"

"Good morning Professor Sprout!" the class replied so that she smiled as she waved her outstretched arms about saying a bit too loud but only because she couldn't hear,

"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, Second Years. Now, gather around everyone. Today, we are going to repot Mandrakes. Who here can tell me the properties of a Mandrake root?" there was a pause before she called,

"Yes Miss Granger?" and everyone turned to her as she said,

"Mandrake or Mandragora, is used to return those who have been Petrified to their original state. It's also quiet dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it." Professor Sprout beamed and clapped her hands saying,

"Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor! Now as our Mandrakes are only seedlings there cries won't kill you yet. But they could knock you out for several hours, which is why I have given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So, could you please put them on right away? Quickly! Flaps tightly down, watch me closely. You grasp your Mandrake firmly, you pull it sharply out of the pot—" here the thing that had been hidden inside with only a green top showing was revealed to be a moving wiggling thing with a face that began to cry as everyone with earmuffs on covered their ears anyway flinching in pain and closing their eyes.

"Got it? And—now you dunk it down into the other pot and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm." Professor Sprout said as Neville fainted in his spot so that the teacher shook her head saying sadly,

"Uh, Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs."

"No, ma'am, he's just fainted." Riley said shrugging her shoulders seeing he was breathing as the teacher nodded frowning saying to everyone,

"Yes, well, just leave him there. Right! On we go! Plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your Mandrakes, and pull it up!" and so everyone did nearly at the same time filling the Greenhouse with horrific cries and wailing as they all tried to put them back into a pot, some having more luck than others while Draco was goofing off. So much so that he nearly lost points to Slytherin! By the time the class was finished everyone had dirt on them somehow and they were exhausted knowing that this was only the beginning of the day. A few more classes went on before the four found themselves in the Great Hall near Mail Time with Ron saying in a monotone voice,

"Say it—I'm doomed."

"Ok, you're doomed." Riley said so that Hermione even nodded as a sudden bright flash of light caused them all to blink in surprise as a cheery young boys face appeared and he said,

"Hi Harry! I'm Colin Creevy! I'm in Gryffindor too!" then he was taking another picture with his camera as Harry, clearly startled said to him politely,

"Uh—hi Colin. Nice to meet you." just as an owl was flying through the air, well, trying to fly through the air and Riley noticing this smiled saying as she tapped Ron on the shoulder telling him,

"Hey Ron, isn't that your owl?" before it crashed into a bowl of fruit causing everyone to laugh and giggle while Ron scowled saying,

"Bloody bird's a menace. Oh no!" he cried pulling back a red sealed envelope so that Seamus smirked calling down the table,

"Look everyone! Weasley's got himself a Howler!" not knowing what a 'Howler' was, Riley looked around for someone who could tell her though Harry, who was sitting next to her, shrugged not knowing either.

"Go on Ron. I ignored one for my grand once. It was horrible." Neville said so gulping, Ron flinched as he began to open it only it began to open itself to Riley's amazement as it turned into a mouth with a tongue and all shouting at the top of its—lungs?

"RONALD WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER IS NOW FACING AN INQUIERY AT WORK, AND IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE WILL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME! Oh, and Ginny dear, congratulations on making Gryffindor. Your father and I are so proud." then it turned back to Ron and spat in his face before tearing itself into tiny pieces so that he sat there in shock and horror so that Harry patted his shoulder in sympathy. As the bell rang for the next class the four got up from the Gryffindor table as Riley tried to make light of the scene,

"Well, there's a first for everything."

"I'm doomed when I get home!" Ron groaned before Hermione said,

"At least we have DADA now."

"Oh bloody hell Hermione, the only reason you got interested in that class is because Lockhart is teaching it!" Ron snapped making her frown at him and replied back coldly,

"He earned his spot."

"So did Quirrell!" Ron retaliated but seeing the growing tension, Riley stepped in between them as they continued down towards the classroom. They found that, instead of it being dingy and dark with strange smells like last year, this year the DADA classroom was bright and airy with far too much sunlight in Riley's opinion for learning about the 'Dark Arts'. As the class took their seats Professor Lockhart came down the stairs from the office saying in an overly dramatic tone,

"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher—me! Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award—but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at it ha-ha….." he trailed off when no one laughed back so that he straightened up coming to stop at the bottom of the stairs saying as he stood by a desk where atop sat a cage covered by a cloth, the cage moving fiercely by whatever was inside.

"Now—be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind. You may find yourself facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whistle I am here. I must ask you not to scream—it might—provoke them!" and then he removed the cloth on the cage to show—blueish tiny beings with bright shiny teeth jumping and leaping about the cage. To Riley the whole thing seemed like a sideshow for a circus act but the things in the cages seemed more harmful then what they appeared to be.

"Cornish Pixies?" Seamus asked so that Professor Lockhart nodded saying,

"Freshly caught Cornish Pixies!" as Seamus laughed the teacher continued saying in a warning tone,

"Laugh if you will, Mr. Finnigan, but pixies can be devilish tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them, ha!" and then to the surprise and utter amazement of the class he opened the cage door letting the pixies free so that they instantly set about causing pure havoc on the classroom and to anyone who got in their way. Some students ducked under desks, some hit them with books like Riley and Harry, Ron trying to do the same but missing as Lockhart said sheepishly,

"Come now—round them up, round them up! They're only pixies!"

"As if you're NOT seeing what they're doing?!" Riley said in amazement to the man who stood not helping his students fight off the crazed pixies as they even lifted Neville onto the ceiling above to hang him there and force him to just dangle with no way to get down.

"Peskipiksi pesternomi!" Professor Lockhart cried waving his wand but a few pixies came flying towards him and letting out a cry of alarm he fled for his office as the rest of the students had been able to flee out of the classroom leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione and Riley to battle the pixies.

"I'll just ask you four to just nip the rest back into their cage!" the teacher said before shutting and locking his door as Ron swinging at a pixie said,

"What do we do?!" so that Hermione took out her wand and cried,

"Immobulus!" leaving the blue pixies hovering suspended in the air, aimlessly floating while Neville on the ceiling asked sheepishly,

"Why is it always me?" Riley was the one to use the Levitation Spell to get him down off the ceiling and once done they cleaned up the pixies, one by one putting them away before the period ended with Riley saying loudly enough for Lockhart to hopeful hear,

"What a waste of bloody time! I hope we never have to do something stupid like that again!"


	7. Six: Mudblood's and Voices

Chapter Six~ Mudblood's and Voices

It was the day when Harry was supposed to go practice with the Gryffindor team on the Quidditch pitch; leaving Hermione, Ron and Riley to talk outside enjoying the bright September day when it was Riley who noticed the Slytherin and Gryffindor teams talking—both dressed to play Quidditch.

"Guys," she said getting the two of them to notice so that they turned and Ron said,

"Uh-oh, I smell trouble." as they quickly went over to find out what was going on to hear Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team reading a note from someone.

"You've got a new Seeker? Who?" he was saying as the Slytherin team stepped aside to reveal Draco Malfoy of all people so that Harry gasped saying,

"Malfoy?"

"That's right, and that's not all that's new this year." here each member of the Slytherin Quidditch team showed the Gryffindor team their new brooms as Ron stared in shock saying,

"Those are Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones! How did you get those?!"

"A gift from Draco's father." Marcus Flint, the Captain of the Slytherin team said proudly so that Draco turned on the three sneering at Ron saying haughtily,

"See Weasley, unlike some, my Father can afford the best."

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent." Hermione said smugly but Draco smirk darkened as he said directly to her,

"No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood!" at that Hermione's eyes grew wide and Ron, face red with anger got out his wand which Riley noticed was taped for some reason and snapped,

"You'll pay for that one Malfoy! Eat slugs!" only instead of the spell hitting Draco it backfired and caused Ron to go sailing back so that everyone on the Gryffindor side rushed to help him, none of the Slytherin team bothered but instead laughed and chuckled watching him slowly sit up.

"You ok Ron, say something!" Riley begged so that he rolled over to be kneeling and belched out a slug that began to wiggle around on the ground making everyone 'eew' and the Slytherin team laugh even harder. Riley, annoyed and enraged, stood up and left Ron's side knowing Harry and Hermione where there and stepped over to Malfoy saying,

"You're a worthless, shameful, spiteful brat you know that Malfoy? You talk big game when really inside you're just a hollow empty shell of a human being. I'd feel sorry for you—but there's nothing to feel sorry for because it'd be a waste of my time. I hope sometime in the future you figure out what happiness is—but for now enjoy rotting in Hell." then she turned around to leave making him say back,

"What? You're not going to try and Curse me?" so that she turned to see him saying,

"Do you want me to?" taking out her wand which was tipped with a red glow so that the whole Slytherin team stepped back a few paces leaving him wide open for whatever she was about to do to him. When Draco shook his head, Riley nodded in confirmation as she turned back, putting her wand away and went back over to Ron's side.

"We best take him to Hagrid." Riley suggested so that Hermione and Harry nodded so that they helped a still slug belching Ron to stand and maneuver him towards Hagrid's Hut. Once there they knocked on the door and as he opened it he stared down in shock saying,

"Wo, this calls for a specialist's equipment. Not to do but to wait until it stops I'm afraid." he ushered them into his hut and had Ron sit down with a bucket to catch the slugs in while Hagrid asked them,

"Better out than in. Who's Ron trying to Curse anyway?"

"Malfoy. He called Hermione—um—well, I don't know exactly what it means." Harry said sheepishly as Hermione stood facing away from them trying to hide her watery eyes from them only Riley could tell she was crying as the other girl said,

"He called me a Mudblood."

"He did not!" Hagrid cried in alarm so that Riley spoke up saying,

"What's a Mudblood though?" Hagrid snorted at the very word as Hermione started to explain to both Harry and Riley,

"It means 'dirty blood'. Mudblood's a really foul name for someone who is Muggle-born. Someone with non-magic parents. Someone like me. It's not a term you'd hear in civilized conversation." Hagrid nodded his bushy head adding into the explanation,

"See, the thing is, Riley and Harry, there's some wizards, like the Malfoy family, who think they're better than everyone else because they're what people call 'pure blood'."

"That's horrible!" Harry said as Riley added,

"And prejudice! How dare they think something so ignorant!"

"And disgusting." Ron even managed to say from after belching up yet another slug so that Hagrid told the four,

"And it's codswallop, to boot. 'Dirty blood', why, there isn't a wizard alive who isn't half blood or less. More to the point, they've yet to think of a spell Hermione can't do. Now come here—don't you think on it Hermione. Don't you think on it for one minute eh?" Hagrid told her, taking her tiny hands into his seemingly massive ones as she gave him a watery smile and as she gave him a hug Riley was next to hug her asking,

"Want me to put a Cornish Pixie in Draco's book bag for you?" Hermione broke a smile and asked,

"How would you do that?"

"Oh, I don't know—but I figured I can have the Twins help me." Riley winked but Hermione shook her head, whipping away her tears and said,

"That's ok, but thanks for making me smile." the four stayed with Hagrid until Ron's Slug Spell ended and then quickly rushed to their final classes of the day. The day seemed endless as finally Ron and Harry had to go to their detentions leaving Hermione and Riley to go to supper alone. It felt weird not having them there and as she sat Riley thought she heard a voice.

"Come, come, come to me! Come to me!" so that she looked all around the Great Hall for whoever was calling her only saw no one seemed to be paying any extra mind so returned to eating, trying to figure out who's voice that had been—and from where. As the feast ended Hermione and Riley walked to go collect Ron from the trophy room, him complaining about having to clean every single trophy in the room but Riley wasn't paying any attention as she kept hearing that same strange voice,

"Blood, I smell blood. Let me rip you. Let me kill you! Kill! Kill! Kill!" suddenly the three ran into Harry who was leaning against the wall with his ear to it who asked them,

"Did you hear it?"

"Hear what?" Ron asked him looking over at Hermione who shrugged seeming puzzled but Riley knew what he was talking about as Harry continued to say,

"That voice!"

"Voice? What voice?" Hermione asked in a meager tone watching Harry's serious expression and his eyes darting around the hallway they were in as he said,

"I heard it first in Lockhart's office and then just again—" before the two heard the disembodied voice again so that Harry started to run saying,

"It's moving, I think it's going to kill."

"Kill?" Ron cried in fear as they chased after him with Hermione crying out,

"Harry wait! Not so fast!" Riley ran right alongside Harry who didn't seem to notice before they all stopped upon seeing thousands of tiny spiders climb out a window.

"Strange, I've never seen spiders act like that before." Riley said walking over towards the window as Ron mumbled,

"I don't like spiders—what's that?" and turning they saw something written on the wall reading 'The Chamber of Secrets has been open—enemies of the heir—beware' and it was written in blood.


	8. Seven: Innocent Victims,the Second Dream

Chapter Seven~ Innocent Victims, the Second Dream

As the four stared at the wall where the message was written in blood, Harry noticed something hanging from one of the lanterns and said,

"On no, it's Filches cat. It's Mrs. Norris." then they all heard voices coming from several parts of the halls and realized other students were coming and watched as they all stopped to stare, Madam Pomfrey even saying as she gasped,

"Oh my!" as Draco always one who needs to say something sneered,

"Enemies of the heir beware? You'll be next Mudbloods!"

"Draco so help me I'll-!" Riley began only they heard the distinct voice of Mr. Filch shouting and shoving his way through saying,

"What's going on here? Go on, make way, make way! Potter—what are you? Mrs. Norris?" then he turned into a deadly murderous rage look on his face spitting out,

"You—murdered my cat!"

"No, no!" Harry said in defense as the man stepped forward saying,

"I'll kill you, I'll kill you!" and lunged forward only Riley stepped in between him and Harry just as the voice of Dumbledore resounded throughout the corridors saying in a strong booming presence,

"Argus! Argus, I—everyone, will proceed to their dormitories immediately. Everyone expect—you four." he said as he stood with Professor McGonagall, Snape and Lockhart behind him. Making sure that the four were in his sights, he said to Mr. Filch,

"She is not dead, Argus. She has been Petrified."

"Ah, thought so. So unlucky I wasn't there. I know exactly the Counter Curse that could have saved her." Professor Lockhart said making Riley roll her eyes at his over flare dramatics as Dumbledore stepped forward wondering,

"But how she has been Petrified I cannot say—"

"Ask him, it's him who's done it. You saw what he wrote on the wall." Mr. Filch said hatefully.

"It's not true sir, I never touched Mrs. Norris." Harry said pleadingly but Mr. Filch cried in rage,

"Rubbish!" so that from behind the group it was—to everyone's surprise—Snape who said,

"If I may Headmaster? Perhaps Potter and his friends where in the wrong place at the wrong time. However the circumstances are suspicious. I, for one, don't recall seeing Potter at supper." then it was to everyone's surprise that Lockhart spoke for Harry saying to him,

"I'm afraid that's my doing, Severus. You see, Harry was helping me answer my fan mail." at that Snape raised an eyebrow in challenge as if saying 'oh please really now?' so that Riley nodded adding,

"That's why Ron, Hermione and I were looking for him Professor. We'd just found him when he said…"

"Yes Miss Warring?" Snape asked smoothly but Harry jumped in and said quickly,

"When I said that I wasn't hungry. We were heading back to the Common Room when we found Mrs. Norris." at this Dumbledore smiled slightly saying to Snape,

"Innocent until proven guilty Severus." who scowled but stepped back in his place keeping an eye on Riley and Harry while Mr. Filch snapped,

"My cat has been Petrified. I want to see some punishment!" Dumbledore was amazingly calm Riley thought as he hushed the still raging man saying to him,

"We will be able to cure her Argus. As I understand it, Madam Sprout has a very healthy growth of Mandrakes. When matured, a potion will be made will revive Mrs. Norris. And in the meantime, I strongly recommend caution—to all." then he told Professor McGonagall to see the four back to the Gryffindor Tower as he went with the other teachers to his office. Professor McGonagall said nothing as the five walked and once they reached the moving staircases she said to them,

"Goodnight." and left to join the rest of the teachers at Professor Dumbledore's office.

"It's a bit strange isn't it?" Hermione said as they climbed up to the Gryffindor Tower so that Harry asked,

"Strange?"

"You hear this voice, a voice that only you can hear, and then Mrs. Norris turns up Petrified. It's just—strange." she continued so that Riley said to her in confusion,

"You think Harry should have told them? Dumbledore and the others?"

"Are you mad?" Ron suddenly said before Hermione said to them all,

"No Harry. Even in the Wizarding world hearing voices isn't a good sign." she sighed sadly and continued followed by Ron who gave Harry an apologetic look as a picture even said,

"She right you know." but Riley, who had stayed behind said to Harry,

"I heard it too, the voice I mean."

"You did? What did it say?" Harry asked in a hushed tone stepping closer to her as Riley shuddered remembering the tone of the voice and breathed out one single word,

"Kill." Harry's eyes widened as Riley nodded but indicated they continue to the Common Room where there they separated to their dorms. Riley, once in her dorm found everyone asleep including Hermione so quickly changed into her pajamas finding that the piece of paper she had been given to by Ginny—missing.

"Weird." she mumbled as she got into bed and fell asleep—then started to feel that tingle sensation again. Once more she discovered herself in a classroom to find Tom standing there smiling a bit.

"Hello again dearest." he said to her smoothly so that she replied,

"Hi Tom, I thought I wouldn't see you again to be honest." he made a face of hurt and put a hand on his chest saying,

"You wound me." this caused Riley to smirk as he said,

"Have you been able to find anything about me?" Riley shook her head, telling him what had happened today including the bloody message on the wall.

"What's more—I could hear this strange voice in my head." here Tom raised an eyebrow asking,

"Voice?" she nodded saying as she hugged herself,

"It sounded so horrid Tom, like icy needles in my spine as it kept saying 'kill'—then we found Mrs. Norris, the caretakers pet cat Petrified. Harry nearly got blamed for it too!" he hushed her, coming over and standing by her told her,

"Don't worry, nothing shall happen to you dearest." Riley swallowed and asked,

"How do you know?" he only smiled a charming dashing grin telling her,

"I have my ways." he left it at that, asking her about her day at school seemingly very interested in everything. Even in her friends. When she began to wake again she asked him,

"What should I be looking for to help you?"

"You'll know it when you find it." was all he said, leaving it extremely vague as she woke up to hear Ebony hooting and Hermione talking with Lavender. As she sat up in bed with the dream vision fully gone from sight, she saw Hermione and Lavender talking and asked,

"What's going on?" as the two girls turned around, Hermione put on a smile saying,

"We were worried about you, and were trying to figure out how to wake you up."

"Wake me up?" Riley wondered so that Lavender nodded telling her as she began playing with some of her hair,

"Yeah—you kept tossing and turning as if in pain. We were about to get Professor McGonagall."


	9. Eight: Legends & Polyjuice Potions

Chapter Eight~ Legends and Polyjuice Potions

Professor McGonagall stood in front of her classroom and clapped her hands together before calling out,

"Could I have your attention please? Right, today we are transforming animals into water goblets. Like so; one, two, three—Vera Verto. Now it's your turn. Would anyone like to go first? Ah! Mr. Weasley, "One, two, three—Vera Verto!"." She said indicating Ron who had his pet rat Scabbers on the desk and nodding with his tapped wand tapped the rat saying,

"Vera Verto." and got a goblet—with fur and a tail. As the rest of the class laughed Professor McGonagall shook her head sadly saying to him,

"That wand needs replacing Mr. Weasley. Yes, Miss Granger?" noticing her hand up, Hermione daringly asked the question buzzing on everyone's mind—but no one dare ask.

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us a bit about—the Chamber of Secrets?" the whole laughing classroom went eerily silent and still as Professor McGonagall, seeing the seriousness and honest curiosity in her students faces, exhaled deeply before saying carefully,

"Well, very well. Well, you all know, of course that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of their age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founder's coexisted quiet harmoniously, one did not."

"Three guess who." Ron whispered to Harry that Riley heard so that Professor McGonagall continued,

"Salazar Slytherin wish to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magical families. In other words 'pure bloods'. Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had a hidden chamber built within the castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly before departing, he sealed it until the time his own true heir returned to the school. The heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by doing so purged the school of all those in, Slytherin's view, who unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns." Riley said softly so that Professor McGonagall nodded sadly with a frown on her face as she said sternly to her point across,

"Well, naturally, the school has been searched many times. No such chamber has ever been found."

"Professor? What exactly does legend tells us lies within the Chamber?" Riley dared to ask so that Professor McGonagall shivered just ever so slightly as she told them all,

"Well, the Chamber is said to be the home to something only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be home of a monster." the class ended on that note with Ron saying in an unbelievable voice,

"Do you think it's true? Do you think the there really is a Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes, couldn't you tell? McGonagall is worried. All the teachers are." Riley told him as they walked to the next class while Harry said shaking his head,

"Well, if there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it really has been opened then that means—"

"The Heir of Slytherin has come back to Hogwarts. The question is, who is it?" Hermione wondered so that Ron actually snorted saying as he faked laughed turning to her and said,

"Let's think. Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy—" Riley began only he stopped her, waving his hands into the air saying in amazement,

"Of course! You heard him, 'You'll be next Mudbloods!'."

"I heard him Ron ok? I was there same as you, but Malfoy, the Heir of Slytherin?" Riley wondered trying to see reason and Malfoy Heir of Slytherin. It was Harry who spoke next, calm and collected who told them,

"Well, maybe Ron's right Riley. I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries."

"Crabbe and Goyle must know. Maybe we could trick them into telling us." Ron said suddenly as Riley saw the lightbulb appear above his head only Hermione shook her bushy mane of hair saying to them,

"Even they aren't that thick. But there might be another way. Mind you, it would be difficult. Not to mention, we would be breaking about fifty school rules. And it'll be dangerous, very dangerous." so the three exchanged glances before they nodded saying,

"We're in." so Hermione led them to the Library and setting down hidden away she went to get out a book. Finding it, she brought it out for them to look at and taking a seat near them said,

"Here it is 'The Polyjuice Potion'. 'Properly brewed, the Polyjuice temporary allows the drinker to transform himself into the physical form of another'." Hermione read so that Ron with wide eyes asked her,

"Do you mean, if we Harry and I drink that stuff we'll turn into Crabbe and Goyle?"

"Yes." Hermione replied back with a smile so that Riley smirked saying,

"Wicked! Malfoy will tell you two anything!" only Hermione told them it was complex and that it would take a month to get ready.

"A month? But Hermione, if Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, he could attack half the school by then!" Harry said in alarm but all she could reply with was she knew, but it was the only plan they had.


	10. Nine: Quidditch and a New Friend?

Chapter Nine~ Quidditch and a New Friend?

Today was the first Quidditch game Slytherin vs. Gryffindor and so far Gryffindor was losing—horribly. Riley watched from the stands as the announcer called,

"Another goal for Slytherin! They lead Gryffindor ninety to thirty!"

"This is horrid!" Ron cried in dismay as they all stood gloomily watching from the stands as Harry squared off with Draco in the air before Hagrid, with his binoculars called out,

"Blimey! Harry's got himself a rogue Bludger! That's been tampered with that has!"

"I'll stop it!" Ron said getting out his messed up wand but Riley put her hand on his arm saying to him,

"No! Even with a proper wand it's too risky Ron! You could hit Harry!" they watched as he zipped about the pitch, trying everything he could think of to get away from it before finally he went behind the stadium walls so that everyone cried out in alarm hearing breaking wood and people began to scream. Finally he reappeared and at last fell onto the ground, rolling and dodging the ball before it flew soaring up into the skies.

"Let's go!" Riley said grabbing her two friends who quickly followed as the announcer cried,

"Harry Potter has caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!" as the whistle blew the three appeared on the field and Hermione, seeing the Bludger coming back towards them took out her wand and shouted,

"Finite Incantatem!" so that the ball exploded into a hundred bits that blew into the breeze as Harry said,

"Thank you."

"Are you ok?" Riley asked helping him sit up to see him cradling his arm so that he shook his head flinching as he gasped saying,

"No, I think my—I think my arm's broken." he replied just as Professor Lockhart came rushing over saying bending down with his wand out,

"Not to worry Harry. I'll fix that arm of yours straight away."

"No, not you!" Harry said trying to get away so that Lockhart, already having drawn a crowd said,

"Oh, poor boy doesn't know what he's saying. Now this—won't hurt a bit. Brackium emendo!" and everyone cried out in alarm as they watched Harry's arm turn to—what looked like rubber!

"Uh, yes, well that can sometimes happen but um—the point is um—" Lockhart tried as he bent Harry's arm literally all the way back so that everyone standing around flinched and cried out in horror as he continued,

"You can no longer feel the pain and heh, the bones clearly aren't broken."

"Broken?! There's no bones left!" Hagrid cried to the man who only sheepishly grinned that Riley wondered was his only defense against people.

"Much more flexible though." Lockhart said as Riley shoved him aside saying,

"You're an idiot of a teacher! Come on Harry let's get you to the Hospital Wing." Ron nodded glaring at the man while Hermione followed behind, they led Harry to the Wing where once Madam Pomfrey saw him she gasped in alarm and ushered him inside and straight to bed where the others noticed a moaning, groaning Malfoy.

"Wonder what's eating him?" Riley joked as Madam Pomfrey told him,

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy stop making such a fuss, you can go. Out of my way, out of my way! Should've been brought straight to me. I can mend broken bones in a heartbeat, but growing them back—" she said as everyone, nearly half the Gryffindor team now in the wing was here watched her hand Harry a cup to drink from as Hermione asked,

"You will be able to, won't you?"

"Oh I'll be able to certainly. But it will be painful, you're in for a rough night Potter. Regrowing bones is a nasty business." then Harry took a sip of the drink and spat it out making everyone around his bed jump back as he made a horrid face so that Madam Pomfrey told him,

"Well, what did you expect? Pumpkin juice?" only Riley, Ron and Hermione were allowed to stay with Harry after the rest were forced out, and even then when it was time for bed they too were removed so Harry could continue to drink his potion. When Riley was going up to the Common Room she couldn't help but think of Tom and want to ask what he knew about the Chamber. Surly if he went to Hogwarts then he'd know something. So when night came and she drifted to sleep she found him waiting for her and she smiled before saying,

"I have a question for you Tom."

"Ask away dearest." he told her waving an arm so that she said breathing out,

"What do you know about the Chamber of Secrets?" here he raised an eyebrow and wondered,

"Why ask about that?"

"The—it's just that I think it sounds interesting." she lied so that he nodded saying to her,

"I only heard what rumors were spread when I was a student. That Salazar Slytherin wanted a place to keep a monstrous creature that only the Heir of Slytherin could control. I never believed it myself to be honest." amazed, Riley felt her mouth drop open as she asked him,

"Why?"

"Because, it had been ages since anything had happened—and nothing has—has it?" he seemed to ask her so that she shook her head so that he stepped forward taking her chin and looked into her eyes saying,

"If you're afraid of something, you can tell me dearest. I won't judge for how can I? I'm only a spirit and nothing more." Riley felt his cool fingertips on her chin and pulled away saying,

"I'm only afraid because of what might happen to my friends—not to me." here he drew his brows together asking her,

"Why not worry about yourself?" shrugging, Riley told him honestly the first thing that came to her mind without even thinking,

"Because they are my friends, and family, and they mean more to me than my life." Tom stared at her, measuring her up through his beryl gaze as she looked down and played with some of her hair.

"Maybe I should change the venue." he said so that Riley looked up and then around as the classroom melted away to turn into the courtyard during summertime so that she gazed in wonder, looking around and smiling before turning back to ask him,

"How did you do that?"

"The power of suggestion is a very powerful thing Riley." he told her tapping his temple before saying,

"Tell me about your day." and so Riley went over to a stone bench and sat down indicating he sit next to her. He stood blinking, but finally did sit down but only at the very corner of the bench. Riley told him about the Quidditch game, the rogue Bludger and Harry's now broken mending arm.

"Lockhart is such a prat." she said making him chuckle so that she turned to him and so that he frowned asking her,

"Why are you staring at me so?"

"You laughed." she said so that he frowned so that she repeated saying louder,

"YOU LAUGHED." so that his eyes widened and he looked away and to the ground before Riley felt herself starting to wake up. When she was fully away she found herself a bit tired, but a smile was on her face. Sitting up, she looked over at Ebony and said softly to him,

"I think I just made a friend Ebony." the owl hooted before she got up to dress with the other girls—and receive the news that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened.


	11. Ten: Moaning Myrtle, Dueling Club

Chapter Ten~ Moaning Myrtle, Dueling Club

Several days after finding the Polyjuice Potion spell, Hermione enlisted Riley to help her collect what they needed to brew the potion. They would take what was needed from Potions Class while Professor Snape wasn't looking, often times sneaking it into their book bags while he was looking the other way. Or other times Hermione would come already having it which confused Riley to no end as to where she'd have gotten it. Hermione was able to find the perfect place, she said, to brew the potion where no one would find them—the first floor girls bathroom.

"Why are we in here again?" Riley asked her while she watched her carefully measure and weigh what was needed one day so that Hermione replied,

"Because no one comes in here." Riley frowned wanting to know exactly why but didn't ask as into the bathroom entered Ron. He looked about sheepishly, probably feeling queasy for being in a girl's bathroom Riley thought, before he told them what he had been able to find out. He told them about how Colin Creevy was Petrified now too. Both Riley and Hermione exchanged looks of sheer worry as Hermione said,

"Again? You mean the Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?"

"Of course. Don't you see? Lucius Malfoy must have opened it when he was at school here. And now he's taught Draco how to." Ron said as if it was obvious crossing his arms as Riley shrugged saying to him though,

"Maybe, we'll have to wait for the Polyjuice Potion to know for sure." Ron raised an eyebrow and watched Hermione for a second before asking her,

"Enlighten me. Why are we brewing this potion in broad daylight, in the middle of a girl's bathroom? Don't you think we'll get caught?" only Hermione shook her head saying as she giggled nervously,

"No, no one ever comes in here."

"Why?" Ron asked so that she told him simply,

"Moaning Myrtle."

"Who?" Ron asked so that Riley rolled her eyes saying again,

"Moaning Myrtle." but Ron clearly didn't get it because he asked sounding clueless,

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" and from somewhere in the bathroom a ghostly figure of a student in Ravenclaw uniform appeared with pigtails and glasses floated over saying,

"I'm Moaning Myrtle! I wouldn't expect you to know me! Who would ever talk about ugly, miserable, moping Moaning Myrtle?" then she went wailing away and they heard what sounded like a loud splash so that Riley turned to Ron giving him a look as she told him,

"She's a bit sensitive." Ron only nodded, eyeing the stall where Moaning Myrtle had disappeared to before the bell rang and they had to leave the potion for the next class. Which in reality wasn't really a class—but something set up to teach the students defense. Dueling Club it was called and it was being taught by the DADA professor, meaning to Riley that it was probably going to be a disaster. It was going to be held in the Great Hall where as the three headed before they noticed Harry coming from the way of the Hospital Wing.

"Hey Harry!" Riley called so that he turned and smiled, rushing over to their side so that he said,

"I hope the project is going well." meaning the potion so that Hermione told him about its progress while they walked into the Hall to find all the tables pushed together to create a sort of stage, the benches removed while they found Professor Lockhart on one end and waiting for everyone to enter.

"Gather around! Gather around! Can everyone see me? Can all of you hear me? Excellent! In light of the dark events in recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done so on countless occasions, for full details see my full published works. Let me introduces my assistant—Professor Snape! He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to fear, you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!" Lockhart said as Professor Snape stepped onto the stage making Riley chuckle at the thought of Lockhart trying to hurt him only hide it in a cough when the Potion master turned towards her.

"One, two, three—" Lockhart began only Snape—wand over his head spoke out,

"Expelliarmus!" so that Lockhart went flying backwards several good feet making the whole class laugh leaving a few girls, like Hermione, worried as she said,

"Do you think he's alright?"

"Who cares?!" Riley said still laughing as the man lifted himself up and dusted himself off chuckling to try and show he wasn't offended that he was made the fool saying,

"An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious—ah—what you were about to do. And if I wanted to stop you it would have only been too easy." Snape here raised an eyebrow in challenge saying as he crossed his arms to the man,

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students how to block unfriendly spells Professor."

"An excellent suggestion Professor Snape! Ah—let's have a volunteering pair! Um, Potter and Weasley how about you?" Lockhart asked turning to point at the two boys standing near Riley and Hermione but Snape interjected saying quickly,

"Weasly's wand causes destruction with the simplest of spells. We'll be sending Potter to the Hospital Wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own House? Malfoy perhaps?" then he turned and ushered Draco onto the stage as Harry got up getting a brief word from Professor Lockhart who said to him,

"Good luck, Potter." though he didn't sound sincere at all while Harry told him back,

"Thank you sir." then they stood in front of one another, a show down between the two who hated each other the most with Professor Lockhart saying,

"Wands at the ready!"

"Scared Potter?" Draco asked so that Harry replied,

"You wish." Riley watched the sparks seemingly fly between the two and swallowed fearful of what might happen as Professor Lockhart saying,

"On the count of three, cast your charm to disarm your opponent, only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here. One—two—" only Draco jumped the count shouting out,

"Everte stadium!" so that Harry went flying backwards as Riley snarled at that while Draco's friends laughed and Harry stood up shaking his head to regain his senses. As soon as he did he pointed his wand at Draco shouting,

"Rictusempra!"

"I said disarm only!" Professor Lockhart shouted over the casting of spells as Draco fired back,

"Serpensortia!" so that onto the stage appeared a snake that slithered and hissed making everyone jump back in fear, both professors eyes widen as Harry and Riley stared at the snake.

"Don't move Potter, I'll get rid of that for you." Professor Snape said, only Professor Lockhart pushed Harry aside saying,

"Allow me Professor Snape, alarte ascendare!" causing the snake to go flying up into the air and when it landed it turned towards one students, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and began to move over towards him.

"Stop it, you can't hurt him!" Harry said so that the snake slowed down as Riley, near Justin, offered her arm to the snake and said,

"Here, that man is an idiot, I'm sorry if you are hurt because of him." then—with the whole class watching, the snake turned towards Riley only before he could make it onto her arm she heard,

"Vipera evenesca!" turning the snake into black smoke so that Riley blinked finding herself staring at Harry who wore the same nearly blank expression on his face.

"What game are you playing at you two?!" the boy Justin cried as everyone in the Great Hall stood in shock, staring at two students who had been talking to a snake.

"Class is dismissed." Professor Snape demanded quickly so that everyone left, eyes lingering on both Riley and Harry who helped him down as they shared a look to figure out what had just happened.


	12. Eleven: Parseltongue, A Phoenix

**I know a lot of you are probably thinking 'This is just CANON!' well I can assure you that further down the line it gets more OC as I write, you just please need to wait it out. I promise in later chapters it gets more OC as it goes-just please wait it out! THANKS AND COOKIES TO ALL! *hands out cookies***

Chapter Eleven~ Parseltongue, A Phoenix

Daylight filled the Gryffindor Common Room though it didn't make the gloom go away as the four sat near the fireplace, all of them lost in their own minds.

"You're a Parselmouth? Why didn't you tell us guys?" Ron asked Harry and Riley so that the two of them, sitting together on the couch asked,

"We're what?"

"You can talk to snakes." Hermione added so that the two shared a look before Riley shrugged saying,

"Well, I knew because I met a baby garden snake at the orphanage when I was younger. And then again at the zoo with Harry." he nodded saying,

"I accidently set it on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once. Once! But, so what? I bet loads of people can do it." Riley nodded hopefully but Hermione shook her head sadly with an apologetic frown on her face saying,

"No, they can't. It's not a very common gift you two. This is bad."

"What's bad? If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin—" Harry said in defense so that Ron's eyes widened as he said in amazement,

"Oh that's what you said to it!"

"You were there! You heard me!" Harry cried back so that Riley said,

"I heard him, and besides, the snake was hurt after what Lockhart did to it—sending the poor thing up into the air like that. Idiot." so that Ron and Hermione exchanged glances as Ron rolled his eyes saying,

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue, snake language?" blinking in surprise, the two looked at one another and it was Harry who said,

"I spoke another language? But I didn't realize I—how can I speak a different language without knowing I can?"

"I don't know Harry, but it sounded like you and Riley were egging the snake on, or something. Riley, Harry listen to me, there is a reason Slytherin House symbol is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes too." Ron nodded saying a bit too loudly,

"Exactly! Now the whole school is going to think you might be his great-great-great grandson or something!"

"But I'm not—I can't be!" Harry said as Riley added,

"And what about me? We can't both be his grandchildren can we? We're not related by blood." she knew so much because Dumbledore had told her last year but Hermione said with a shrug of her shoulders,

"He lived a thousand years ago: for all we know, you two could be." looking over at Harry as the bell rang for students to start heading down for breakfast. The whole day Riley and Harry were treated like out-cast by the school, students avoiding them like the plague, whispering behind their backs and Riley could always hear what they were saying,

"Did you hear what they did in Dueling Club?"

"They can BOTH talk to snakes!"

"I bet they're both related to Salazar!" so that by the time it was night and they were in Study Hall after supper they couldn't handle the tension anymore. Even with Ron and Hermione by their sides it was Harry who stood up and said,

"I'll see you back in the Common Room."

"I'll join you Harry." Riley said standing collecting her stuff as the whole room watched them leave. Once outside Riley let out a frustrated exhale and kicked at a wall saying,

"This is ridiculous! How can everyone think we're both Salazar Slytherin's Heir?!"

"Because like Hermione said, he lived thousands of years ago—it could be true." Harry said sadly as they walked for the moving staircases only they turned a corner and found a sight that made Riley drop her books. There only the ground was Justin from Dueling Club and a floating not moving Nearly Headless Nick whose head was nearly removed. What's more, the floor was covered in a layer of water—which both found odd.

"Caught in the act! And with an accomplice! I'll have you out this time Potter. Mark my words." it was Mr. Filch who looked extremely pleased with himself as Harry said,

"No! Mr. Filch! You don't understand!"

"We didn't do it!" Riley pleaded as Professor McGonagall appeared and gasping looked at the scene before her as Harry said solemnly,

"Professor—we didn't—we swear!"

"This is out of my hands you two." she said sadly ushering them to follow her so that Riley quickly picked up her books and the two followed her leaving behind the horrid sight. They walked through the castle in utter silence before coming to a phoenix statue where Professor McGonagall said,

"Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you both. Sherbet lemon!" then she waved her hands before the statue which began to move causing a set of stairs to appear so that Harry looked to Riley and the two got on riding them to the top. Upon coming to the office, the two stepped inside to find it filled with pictures of snoring men, whimsical and strange items, books in shelves, a second floor and a desk where sitting by it on a perch was a sad looking crimson bird.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Riley called out as they stepped inside before they noticed the Sorting Hat asleep on a shelve as it came to life asking the two of them,

"Bee in your bonnet Potter and Warring?"

"I—I was just wondering if you put me in the right House." Harry said so that the Hat seemed to frown as it said to him,

"Yes, you were particularly difficult to place. But I stand by what I said last year, you would have done well in Slytherin—you too young Warring."

"You're wrong." Harry said so that Riley nodded saying,

"We'll prove you wrong." the Hat only settled back on its shelve before they heard a cry and turned to the sad looking bird and starting over to it watched as it burst into flame before turning to ash collecting into the golden try underneath the perch.

"Harry? Riley?" Professor Dumbledore's voice called so that they turned to see him coming over looking as if he had been watching them as Riley said stuttering,

"Professor! Sir, your bird—there was nothing we could do—he—he just caught fire!" the man smiled at her nodding his head as he stepped forward saying gently,

"Oh, and about time too. He's been looking dreadful for days. Pity you two had to see him on Burning Day. Fawkes is a Phoenix you two. They burst into flames when it's time to die, and they are reborn from the ashes." as he spoke the three watched as a tiny head appeared and it called out making him smile.

"Ah, fascinating creature's phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, and their—their tears have healing powers." he continued so that the two exchanged a look before through the door burst of all people Hagrid who said in a rush,

"Professor Dumbledore sir! Wait! Listen! Professor Dumbledore sir it wasn't them!"

"Hagrid—" Professor Dumbledore tried only he continued on with,

"In fact, I'm prepared to swear it in front of the Ministry of Magic!"

"Hagrid! Relax, I do not believe Harry or Riley attacked anyone." Professor Dumbledore said evenly so that Hagrid smiled and left saying he'd wait outside with Harry asking Professor Dumbledore,

"You don't think it was either of us?"

"No Harry. I don't think it was you or Riley. But I must ask you, is there anything you two wish to tell me?" but they both shook their heads telling him nothing, so that he allowed them to leave.


	13. Twelve: The Polyjuice Potion is Ready

Chapter Twelve~ The Polyjuice Potion is Ready

After the meeting with Professor Dumbledore, Harry and Riley still dealt with the constant murmurs and whispers behind their backs as Hermione continued to brew the Polyjuice Potion which would be done by Christmas. As for Riley she kept having the dreams with Tom, the two of them growing more friendly with one another until Riley felt as if his hard edge was being smoothed down. It was during supper one night over Christmas break, the four of them had signed up to stay over to ensure that the plan would work, that Hermione said to the three of them,

"Everything's set. We just need a bit of who you're changing into."

"Crabbe and Goyle." Harry said before turning to Riley and asking her with a confused look,

"But what about you?"

"I'm not going, it'd be easier if one of us stays behind than all four of us go gallivanting off. That way I can make up some excuse for you three being missing." she said having already planned it out with Hermione so that she nodded saying again,

"We also need to make sure that the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating Malfoy."

"How?" Ron asked as she got out two normal looking pastries from her robes saying with a smirk of pride,

"I've got it all worked out. I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. Simple, but powerful. Now, once there asleep hide them in the broomstick cupboard pull out a few of their hairs, and put on their uniforms."

"Whose hairs are you ripping out then?" Ron asked her so that Hermione got out a small vial showing them hairs as she said softly,

"I've already got mine. Millicent Bulstrode—Slytherin—I got these off her robes. I'm going to check on the Polyjuice Potion. Make sure Crabbe and Goyle find these." as supper ended Hermione went with Riley to the first floor girl's bathroom while Harry and Ron went to get the hairs and robes off Crabbe and Goyle. As the two waited, Hermione had to finally ask Riley what had been on her mind for the past few months.

"Riley, what's been going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" she wondered watching her finish up the potion so that Hermione glanced up exhaling and saying,

"I mean, when you're sleeping—you toss and turn as if you're in pain. The one time you almost didn't wake up me and Lavender were going to get Professor McGonagall we were so worried. You know you can tell me if it's a—girl thing—right?" Riley blinked at her never really seeing the true fear in her friend's eyes until then and sighed biting her lip wondering if she should tell her about Tom or not but before she could make up her mind the boys came in. Hermione realizing that the clock was now ticking, got back to business saying to them,

"We'll have exactly one hour before we change back into ourselves—add the hairs." she had handed the two glasses filled with basically green slugged that the boys made faces at while Ron sneered saying,

"Ugh! Essences of Crabbe!"

"Cheers." Hermione said before they clicked glasses and took sips of the drink before Ron, coughing and lurching said,

"I think I'm going to be sick!" running off for a stall leaving Riley watching feeling horrid as Hermione did the same thing, both of them dropping their glass as she cried,

"Me too!" and she bolted for a stall leaving Riley to watch Harry—begin to transform right before her very eyes! His skin started to stretch out and morph and bubble until he was, in one word, Goyle looking in the mirror!

"Uh, Harry?" Ron said coming out so that Riley gasped to see him as Crabbe and Harry gasped asking,

"Ron?"

"Bloody hell!" Ron ala Crabbe said before turning to Riley saying,

"Look at this Riley! Isn't this amazing!?" but then she said to them both,

"You two still sound like yourselves though, you have to sound more like Crabbe and Goyle." they nodded before Ron asked,

"But what about Hermione?"

"I—I don't think I'm going. You go on without me!" she cried from her stall so that they all exchanged looks and went over with hesitant steps as Riley called,

"Hermione are you ok?"

"Just go you two, you're wasting time!" she cried back so that Riley ushered them out of the bathroom before saying to them,

"I'll still be here to keep an eye on her." they nodded before disappearing leaving Riley alone with a hiding Hermione. As soon as they were gone Moaning Myrtle appeared giggling so that Riley frowned snapping,

"What's so funny?" she hid her smirk behind her hand saying with a fit full of laughter,

"I can't wait until you see her!" before floating away so that Riley went over to the stall Hermione was in saying,

"Hermione, are you ok? What happened?" only she didn't reply so that Riley literally had to sit and wait until the boys returned. By the time they did, about an hour or so later, they burst in with Ron already changed saying,

"That was close!"

"Hermione come out! We got loads to tell you both!"

"She hasn't come out yet, I tried but she just won't leave the stall." Riley told them so that they raised an eyebrow as Hermione added,

"Go away!" and once more Moaning Myrtle appeared, giggling still as she shook her head almost apologetically saying to them laughing,

"Wait till you see, it's awful!" then vanished into a toilet so that the boys exchanged worried looks as Harry, stepping over closer to the stall asked,

"Hermione, are you ok?"

"Do you remember me telling you that Polyjuice Potion was only for human transformations? It was cat's hair I plucked off Millicent Bulstrode's robes. Look at my face!" she cried as she had opened the stall door to reveal that she had indeed turned into a humanoid cat with ears and, as Ron pointed out,

"Look at your tail!" while they heard Moaning Myrtle laugh and laugh from somewhere in the bathroom. As the boys stared at her in shock, Riley exhaled deeply saying to her sadly,

"You know we'll have to take you to the Hospital Wing right?" she nodded stepping out as she muttered under her breath, trying to figure out a good lie as to how she got like this.

"You two go back to the Common Room, I'll take Hermione to the Hospital Wing." Riley offered so that they nodded. As they started off, they were eventually caught by a teacher making rounds, Professor McGonagall thankfully who ushered them both to the Hospital Wing. Hermione was able to make up a wonderful lie about what had happened that Riley went along with so smoothly you'd think it was planned beforehand. Once Hermione was settled in the Hospital Wing, Professor McGonagall wrote Riley a slip explaining why she was out after hours and ushered her quickly to the Common Room. As soon as she was there she went straight to bed. Only this time instead of being with Tom in the familiar summertime courtyard she had no dream, but woke almost as soon as she went to sleep. It was so odd that she instantly missed her almost nightly visitor. She had actually grown to think of him as a friend, though not in physical form the two of them—she thought—were on a certain common ground that they could share stories about one another. He had grown up in an orphanage same as her, lost his parents same as her, actually—a lot of things in his life were similar to hers.

"Strange," she said looking over at Ebony, who hooted his agreement before she shook her head and began to get dressed for the day and to go quickly visit Hermione to see how she was doing.


	14. Thirteen: A True Friend?

Chapter Thirteen~ A True Friend?

About a week or so after Hermione got out of the Hospital Wing, Harry told them all something that made Riley feel her heart freeze in her ribcage. It was while they were in the Common Room he told them about finding a diary in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and being shown a vision—from a student named Tom Riddle. Now as they walk outside with the snow having melted from the Christmas snowstorm he explains,

"It was Hagrid. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

"It can't be Hagrid, it just can't be!" Riley said in shock only he shook his head in dejection as if he didn't want to believe it either, but whatever he had seen had convinced him.

"We don't even know this Tom Riddle. He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me." Ron said making a face so that inside Riley bit her tongue hearing him talk about her friend so as Harry told him,

"The monster killed somebody Ron, what would any of us have done?"

"Look, Hagrid's our friend, why don't we just ask him about it?" Hermione suggested only Ron snorted saying as they continued onwards with a dramatic tone,

"That'll be a cheerful visit! 'Hello Hagrid! Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"

"Mad and hairy? You wouldn't be talking about me now would you?" a sudden voice asked so that they all stopped short seeing Hagrid of all people before them so that they all stammered out,

"No!"

"What's that you got Hagrid?" Riley asked tentatively so that he looked at the pot he was holding before he shrugged telling them easily,

"Oh, It's a- Flesh-Eating Slug Repellent. For the Mandrakes, you know. Now, according to Professor Sprout, they've still got a bit o' growing up to do. But, once their acne's cleared up, we'll be able to chop 'em up and stew 'em, and then we'll get those people down at the hospital un-Petrified. In the meantime, though, you four had best be looking after yourselves. All right? Hmm?" they all nodded before they heard huffing and puffing and turned to see Neville coming running over so that Hagrid said,

"Hello Neville!"

"Harry—I don't know who did it, but you'd better come! Come on!" he seemed so nervous and afraid that the four quickly raced to follow him all the way back to the Gryffindor Tower, then into the Common Room where he lead them to the boys dorms where they discovered Harry's dorm destroyed completely and a total mess.

"It had to be a Gryffindor. Nobody else knows the password—unless it wasn't a student." Riley said stepping carefully over the mess as she watched Harry looking for something as Ron wondered,

"Whoever it was they must have been looking for something." and as Harry got up he nodded saying as he exhaled,

"And they found it. Tom Riddle's diary's gone." at this Riley suddenly connected two and two—Tom Riddle had a diary! Eyes widening in amazement, she felt as if she'd been punched in the stomach as Hermione turned to her asking,

"Are you alright?" she nodded putting on a fake smile saying,

"It's just amazing that someone tried to break into the dorm." she lied easily so that Hermione agreed, but as they left the dorm Riley went up to hers saying she had forgotten something. With no one else there, she looked around for the piece of paper Ginny had given her. She spent a good while looking for it but wasn't able to find it and frustrated pulled at her hair saying,

"So you're the Tom I was friends with in my dreams." then looking around feeling lied to and wounded because of it she said softly,

"You lied to me Tom, how could you?" with that she left the dorm to return with her real friends. The day quickly came to an end and when she found herself in her dorm to go to sleep she actually was afraid to—worried she might see Tom and have to deal with him. Yet unfortunately she fell asleep and found herself looking at Tom grinning at her. By now they were accustom to meeting but Riley said to him,

"Go away Tom." looking bewildered, he asked her sounding confused,

"Why ever for?"

"You lied to me!" she snapped so that he raised an eyebrow as she spat back at him,

"You had a diary, one that Harry found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom which I could have used to help you! No! Instead you lied to me using me to just force information out of me!" he frowned before looking away as she stepped over and slapped him across his cheek causing him to turn towards her and with a rage unknown to her he grabbed both her wrists and snarled in her face,

"You will regret that!"

"I thought you were my friend Tom! I thought we were friends!" Riley said trying not to cry but it was useless now that he was seemingly trying to crush her bones—and she was only dreaming!

"Friends don't lie to friends, friends don't hurt their friends the way you did!" Riley continued as she started to cry so that she felt weak and giving up rested her forehead on his shoulder feeling him stiffen under her. They were still for a moment before he let her go and did something that amazed her—he wrapped his arms around her saying to her softly,

"You are—perhaps indeed—my only friend Riley." sniffling, Riley moved closer to the embrace hearing his tone drop an octave or two as he said into her hair,

"But do not hate me for what is to come—I must finish my legacy of work."


	15. Fourteen: A Surprising Shocker or Two

Chapter Fourteen~ A Surprising Shocker or Two

Today was a Quidditch game of Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff with Riley and Ron sitting in the stands eagerly awaiting the start of the game. While they waited for the game to begin they noticed a familiar sharp tone call,

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Warring, come with me please." so that they turned to see Professor McGonagall standing on the side of the stands looking impatient—and extremely worried. Looking at one another, they went to follow her with Riley asking,

"What is it Professor? Has something happened to Harry?" she asked recalling the rogue Bludger but she only shook her head stepping aside to reveal him perfectly fine, looking just as confused as the two of them.

"Come with me please." she said marching down the stairs of the stands so that Harry told them under his breath,

"The game's been canceled."

"Canceled! They can't do that!" Ron cried in amazement and horror only Professor McGonagall heard them saying,

"We had clear reason to Mr. Weasley, best be quick now, come along." she led them all the way into the castle, ahead of the rest of the school it seemed as she marched with purpose towards the Hospital Wing.

"I warn you, this could be a wee bit of a shock." she said gently upon entering and as they followed they noticed the other Petrified students and lying on the very last bed was the Petrified figure of—

"Hermione!" Ron cried in a gasping shock while Professor McGonagall said to them softly,

"She was found near the Library, along with this." and she held up a mirror asking them as she looked at them each in turn,

"Does it mean anything to any of you?" the shook their heads, Harry saying in a broken tone,

"No." as Riley looked at Hermione's frozen in horrors face; eyes wide and mouth dropped open ready to scream. It was after they left that Professor McGonagall followed them to the Common Room and upon entering found a whole bunch of the students still inside talking trying to figure out what was going on. They had no clue what had happened—yet.

"Could I have your attention please? Because of recent events, these new rules will be put into effect immediately. 'All students will return to their House Common Rooms by six o'clock every evening. All students will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No exceptions.' I should tell you this: unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught, it is likely the school will be closed." then she left through the portrait as Harry, Riley and Ron sat close to one another separate from everyone else as Harry whispered under his breath,

"We got to talk to Hagrid guys. I can't believe it's him, but if he did set the monster loose last time, he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets and that's a start."

"But you heard McGonagall! We're not allowed to leave the Tower except for classes!" Ron cried only Harry and Riley exchanged a look and shared a smirking smile as Harry said to him,

"I think it's time to get out my dad's old cloak again." with that they agreed they'd go tonight, meeting in the Common Room so that once everyone was asleep Riley waited not a moment until she got drossy before she snuck outside to the Common Room and joined the boys under the Cloak and snuck outside—to Hagrid's Hut. When they knocked on his door he swung it open and had a crossbow in his hands saying,

"Who's there? Hello? Hello?" so that they removed the Cloak so that Riley asked him in shock,

"What's that for?!"

"Oh, nothing. I was expecting uh—it doesn't matter I just made a pot of tea." he grinned friendly as always ushering them inside and shutting the door behind them, locking it.

"Hagrid, are you alright?" Riley wondered watching him go to the pot and with shaking hands try to grab at it to pour some into tea cups for them to have.

"I'm fine! I'm alright." he beamed but they knew he was lying as Harry asked him,

"Have you heard about Hermione?" he exhaled deeply nodding sadly saying softly also,

"Oh yeah, I heard about that alright."

"Look, we got to ask you something. Do you know who opened the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry finally asked as he looked up looking ashamed Riley thought so that he began to explain saying to them,

"What you had to understand about that is—" only there suddenly was knocking at his door so that he ushered them in a fearful whisper,

"Quick under the Cloak! Don't say a word!" then went over to the door as the three hid in a corner under the Cloak while he went to unlock and open the door saying as he did,

"Professor Dumbledore sir!" and there standing in the doorway was the Headmaster and a man neither of them had seen before, well, two of them that is. The second man was wearing all brown with gray hair, clearing unnerved to be standing in Hagrid's Hut let alone be there at all it seemed.

"Good evening Hagrid, I was wondering if we could?" Professor Dumbledore asked so that Hagrid allowed them to enter his home as Ron whispered,

"That's Dad's boss! Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic!" Riley felt her eyes widen as the man said evenly,

"Bad business Hagrid, very bad business. Had to come—three attacks on Muggle-borns already. Things have gone too far. The Ministry's got to act."

"Oh but I never—you know I never Professor!" Hagrid nearly pleaded as Dumbledore turned to the Minister saying to him straightening his back,

"I want it understood Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence."

"Albus look, Hagrid's record is against him. I've got to take him." the Minister said sounding weary of the whole situation as Hagrid grew fearful crying out,

"Take me? Take me where? Not Azkaban Prison?"

"I'm afraid we have no choice Hagrid." the man said turning to leave but was stopped when someone else entered the Hut, Lucius Malfoy making Riley gasp softly enough that she could have sworn his eyes darted over in their direction.

"Already here Fudge, good." he stated sounding far too pleased with the whole situation, a look of almost glee on his face as Hagrid grew angered snapping,

"What are YOU doing here? Get out of my house!"

"Believe me, I take absolutely no pleasure in being inside your—you call this a house? Huh! No. I simply called at the school and was told the Headmaster was here." he said smoothly so that the three hidden shared worried looks as Dumbledore asked evenly back as if this was expected,

"Well, what exactly is it you want with me?"

"The other governors and I have decided that it's time for you to step aside. This is an order of suspension. You'll find all twelve signatures on it, I'm afraid we've feel you've rather lost your touch. Well, what with all these attacks, there'll be no Muggle-borns in Hogwarts left. I can only imagine what an awful lose that would be to the school." Riley could clearly see the smirk on his face as he handed over the signed document for the Minister to read while Hagrid cried out in outrage,

"You can't take Professor Dumbledore away! Take him away and there won't be any Muggle-borns won't stand a chance! You mark my words, there'll be killings next!"

"You think so?" Malfoy Senior said so that Dumbledore said easily, sounding ever calm despite everything,

"Calm yourself Hagrid, if the governors desire my removal, I will of course step aside. However, you will always find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." Malfoy Senior sneered saying for them to leave though just before they took Hagrid away he left saying,

"Ahem! If, uh, if anybody was looking for some stuff, then all they'd have to do would be to follow the spiders. Yup! That would lead them right! That's all I have to say. Oh, and someone'll need to feed Fang while I'm away." and then the door was shut behind the three Gryffindor's, who felt horrible watching their friend be taken to prison.


	16. Fifteen: Aragog and the Basilisk

Chapter Fifteen~ Aragog and the Basilisk

Once the adults were gone Harry, Riley and Ron removed the Cloak and it was Ron who said making sure the door to Hagrid's Hut was shut,

"Hagrid's right! With Dumbledore gone, there'll be an attack a day!" nodding, Harry looked to the window where the others followed his gaze to see thousands of tiny spiders crawling out the window so that he cried,

"Look! Well, come on! Come on Fang!" and he quickly raced out the Hut leaving Riley to follow and Ron to trail behind as he asked watching him head for the Forbidden Forest,

"What?!"

"You heard what Hagrid said 'Follow the spiders'." Riley said shrugging her shoulders but Ron whimpered saying as he stopped staring at the wicked and twisted looking trees,

"They're headed for the Dark Forest! Why spiders! Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies?!" they went step by step into the forest with Fang at their side, wands at the ready as they followed the spiders deeper and deeper into the lair of whatever danger might await them. As Riley looked about she noticed how the trees where covered in spider webs and eyes seemed to be following them as Ron whimpered out,

"Harry I don't like this, I don't like this at all!"

"Hush!" Harry said putting a finger to his mouth as they came to a massive cave-like entrance where they heard a growling rumble and they froze so that Ron said,

"Can we go back now?"

"Come on Ron!" Riley encouraged only then suddenly they heard a voice saying,

"Who is it?" making them all whip around to see who had spoken as Harry standing before the two said softly,

"Don't panic."

"Hagrid? Is that you?" and out from the cave came a massive—gigantic spider that loomed over them making Ron whimper so that Riley hushed him as Harry spoke,

"We're friends of Hagrid. And you, you're Aragog aren't you?"

"Yes, Hagrid has never sent men into the hollow before." the spider spoke so that Riley told it calmly,

"Hagrid is in trouble, up at the school, there have been attacks. They think its Hagrid. They think he's opened the Chamber of Secrets, like before."

"That's a lie! Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets!" the gigantic spider growled so that Harry asked him,

"Then you're not the monster?"

"No! The monster was born in the castle. I came to Hagrid from a distant land, in the pocket of a traveler." Aragog replied sharply as Ron pulled on Harry's sleeve whimpering,

"Harry." only he paid him no mind as he continued finding out more information about the monster.

"But if you're not the monster—than what killed the girl fifty years ago?" Harry wondered so that the spider said to them,

"We do not speak of it. It is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others."

"But have you seen it?" Riley asked him so that the spider only replied back,

"I never saw any part of the castle but the box in which Hagrid kept me. The girl was discovered in a bathroom. When I was accused Hagrid brought me here."

"Harry!" Ron cried so that both Harry and Riley turned to him to ask what was wrong only to see thousands of larger spiders crawling from the treetops so that they realized the danger they were now in and turning back to Aragog it was Harry who said,

"Well, thank you—we'll just go."

"Go? I think not. My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat when it comes so willingly into our midst. Goodbye—friends of Hagrid." so that Ron whispered,

"Can we panic now?" as the thousands of spiders began to chase after them and the three ran for their lives, Fang leading the way before a car suddenly appeared from out of the trees and Ron's eyes lit up aiming to get to the car.

"Know any spells?" he asked as they ran to get to the car but Riley, turning on her heel faced the swarming spiders head on and shouted,

"Arania exumai!" then watching about a dozen or so spiders go flying backwards she smiled before hearing the boys call for her to get into the car. Quickly, she dove for the back passenger side open door and once shut they began driving off as Harry cried to Ron,

"Get us up in the air!"

"The flying gear's jammed!" he cried in a wail as Riley kept firing the spell while the two pulled on the handle to try and get the car safely into the air. Instead, they managed to get onto school grounds safely before the car somehow managed to force them out from inside and drove back off on its own into the forest.

"Follow the spiders! Follow the spiders! If Hagrid gets out of Azkaban, I'll kill him! I mean, what was the point of going in there? What have we found out?!" Ron cried as they began to trudge back towards the castle as Harry said getting the Cloak ready to sneak back into the castle.

"We know one thing. Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets, he was innocent."

"And he's in jail with everyone thinking he's done it a second time." Riley added before Ron realized they were right, and after getting back under the Cloak started for the Gryffindor Common Room. In silence they walked and once back safely inside the three went to their own dorms to go to sleep. Riley was too upset to even try, instead just lay there curled in a ball in the darkness listening to the other girls sleeping. The next day flew by and when the three went to visit Hermione in the Hospital Wing Riley was changing out the withered flowers in the vase by her bedside while Harry said,

"Wish you were here Hermione. We need you now more than ever."

"What's that?" Ron suddenly asked noticing something bundled up in her closed hand so that Harry carefully removed it and after reading it cried,

"Guys, this is why Hermione was in the Library the day she was attacked. Come on!" then he was walking outside in a hurry leaving them to follow as he began reading,

"Of the many fearsome beast that roam our land, none is more deadly than the basilisk. Capable for living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits anyone who meets this giants serpents eyes. Spiders flee before it." then looking between Riley and Ron he smiled realizing this was the answer saying,

"Guys, this is it! The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk. That's why I can hear it speak, it's a snake!"

"But if it kills by looking at people in the eye, why is no one dead?" Ron wondered so that Harry took a moment to think as Harry answered that saying as his eyes widened,

"Because no one did look at it in the eye, not directly that is. Colin saw it through his camera, Justin….Justin must have seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick."

"Nick got the full blast of it but he's a ghost so he couldn't die again." Riley added so that Harry nodded in agreement with her as Harry said,

"And Hermione had the mirror, I bet you anything she was using it to look around corners, in case it came along."

"And what about Miss Norris? I'm pretty sure she didn't have a mirror or a camera guys." Ron told them but Harry said,

"The water, there was water on the floor that night. She only saw the basilisk's reflection. 'Spiders flee before it' it all fits!"

"But how's a basilisk been getting around? A dirty great snake—someone would have seen it!" Ron cried so that Harry smiled saying as he handed over the paper for Ron to see,

"Hermione answered that one too." so Ron turned the paper over to see one word written.

"Pipes? It's been using the plumbing!"

"Remember what Aragog said, about the girl fifty years ago? She died in a bathroom? What if she never left?" Riley suddenly wondered so that both boys turned to her and they both said out loud at the same time,

"Moaning Myrtle." then they heard Professor McGonagall's voice loud and clear saying in a sharp determined tone,

"All students are to return to their House dormitories at once! All teachers to the second floor corridor immediately!" sharing a look of confusion and worry, the three raced to the second floor corridor and skidded to a stop when they reached the corner to hear what was going on.

"As you can see, the Heir of Slytherin has left another message. Our worst fears have been realized. A student has been taken by the monster into the Chamber itself. The students must be sent home. I'm afraid this is the end of Hogwarts." they heard Professor McGonagall saying as they heard footsteps coming and Professor Lockhart's voice asking,

"So sorry, dozed off, what have I missed?" Riley rolled her eyes at the sheer stupidity of this man as Professor Snape sneered at him,

"A girl has been snatched by the monster Lockhart. You moment has come, at last."

"My—my moment?" he seemed to whimpered as Professor Snape continued,

"Weren't you saying just last night that you know all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?" then Professor McGonagall seemed pleased upon saying,

"Well that's settled. We'll leave you to deal with the monster Gilderoy. Your skills, after all, are legend."

"Very well—ah—I'll just be in my office getting—getting ready." he replied as he fled for his classroom as Madam Pomfrey asked Professor McGonagall,

"Who is it that the monster has taken, Minerva?" the teacher exhaled heavily, looking grim and disheartened as she said,

"Ginny Weasley." as Ron read the message written in blood on the wall out loud,

"Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever—Ginny." as they backed away from the teachers it was Riley who suddenly had a horrid looming feeling in her mind, if Lockhart was going to try and save Ginny they would have to tell him what they knew. Yet even so, she had a feeling that this wasn't going to go well, as Harry said pretty much the same thing and the three raced for the DADA classroom.


	17. Sixteen: Into the Chamber

Chapter Sixteen~ Into the Chamber

The three came to the DADA classroom door hearing the sound of trunks being shut and mumbling as Harry called out upon them entering,

"Professor we have some information for you!" then he stopped once they saw that the classroom was nearly packed up and that inside the office Professor Lockhart was packing away his things.

"Are you going somewhere?" Riley asked him crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow in annoyance as he turned in surprised to see the three of them in his doorway as he stuttered out,

"Well yes, uh—urgent call—unavoidable. Got to go."

"What about my sister?!" Ron cried in disbelieve but Professor Lockhart only said as he continued to pack up,

"Well um, that is most unfortunate. No one regrets it more than I."

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher! You can't go now!" Ron demanded so that Professor Lockhart only laughed lightly saying back as he shook his head,

"Well—I must say that when I took this job there was nothing was in the job description about a—" only as Harry in disbelief said to him,

"You're running away? After all that stuff in your books?!" only he suddenly snapped up saying in a growl,

"Books can be misleading!"

"You wrote them!" Riley demanded so that he snorted saying as he began to leave his office with them following him out of the office and into the classroom,

"My dear girl, do you use common sense! My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people believed I had done all of those things!" so that the three finally understanding it was Harry in a rage said to him,

"You're a fraud! You've been taking credit for what other wizards have done!"

"Is there anything you can do?" Riley asked in challenge so that he glared at them in annoyance saying in a hard tone,

"Yes, now that you mention it. I'm rather gifted at Memory Charms. Otherwise you see, all those wizards would have gone blabbering. And I'd never had sold another book. In fact, I'm going to have to do the same to you!" he whipped out his wand but it was three to one as Riley snarled, anger already at a boiling point for this man,

"Don't even think about it!" so they led him to Moaning Myrtles bathroom, Riley and Harry in front with Ron behind so that once they entered she called,

"Oh? Who is it?" then appeared smiling saying,

"Oh! Hello Harry and Riley!" then she frowned upon seeing Ron asking,

"Ron, what do you want?"

"To ask you how you died." Riley said trying to sound honest as Moaning Myrtle shook her head saying in a hurt tone,

"Oh it was dreadful. It happened right here in this very cubicle. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. I was crying and then I heard someone come in."

"Who was it Myrtle?" Harry asked so that she shrugged shaking her head saying softly,

"I don't know. I was distraught! But they said something funny, in a kind of made up language. And I realized it was a boy speaking, so I unlocked the door to tell him to go away—and I died." confused Riley asked her,

"Just like that? How?"

"I just remember seeing a pair of great big yellow eyes—over there by that sink." she said pointing to the sinks before letting out a wail and flying away as Harry and Riley went to inspect them so that Harry said,

"This is it. This is it guys, I think this is the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

"Say something Harry, say something in Parsletongue!" Ron told him so that Harry closed his eyes and Riley heard him say,

"Open for me!" so that they watched the sinks begin to morph and change before they found an entrance before them. They'd done it, they'd found the Chamber of Secrets!

"Excellent Harry! Good work! Well then, I'll just be—there's no need for me to stay." Professor Lockhart tried to say as he tried to escape only Riley held her wand at him as she smirked saying to him,

"Oh yes there is! You first!" his eyes widened in shock at her words as he said to the three of them who kept making him inch closer to the edge of the entrance,

"Now children what good will this do?"

"Better you than us!" Ron snapped so that he was nearly dangling over the edge as he said,

"Um, but obviously—yes. Sure you don't want to test it first?" but Riley having enough shoved him with her foot to the chest making him go falling down the entrance so that he let out a cry as they listened to him go falling before he stopped and called up,

"It's really quiet filthy down here."

"All right lets go." Harry said so that Moaning Myrtle said to them,

"Oh Harry? If you die down there, you welcome to share my toilet." so that Riley raised an eyebrow at the ghost girl as they all jumped down one at a time before landing at the very bottom. As soon as they reached the bottom it was Harry to say as they began to stand,

"Now remember, any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away." and then Ron told Professor Lockhart,

"Go on." so that they continued into the pipes under the school as Harry led the way with Riley behind him and Professor Lockhart behind her with Ron at his side.

"What's this?" Ron asked at one point coming to see a large curled up dried—snakeskin.

"It looks like—a snake." Professor Lockhart said only Riley corrected them saying,

"It's a snakeskin."

"Bloody hell, whatever shed this must be sixty feet long—or more! Heart of a lion, this one!" Ron said in amazement as Professor Lockhart suddenly grabbed Ron's wand and pushing him into Riley laughed saying in glee,

"The adventure ends here children. But don't fret, the world will know our story. How I was too late to save the girl. How you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body. So, you first Mr. Potter. Say goodbye to your memories! Obliviate!" but instead of the spell working, since he had used Ron's wand it backfired and caused a cave in separating Ron and Professor Lockhart from Harry and Riley. They were pushed back from the blast as Ron cried out,

"Harry! Riley!"

"Ron! Ron are you ok?" Harry asked as he helped Riley to stand as Ron called back through the rocked off passage,

"I'm fine!" before they heard some muffled chatter and then Ron groan as he added,

"Lockhart's memory charm backfired. He hasn't got a clue who he is!" so that Harry and Riley stared at each other while they heard more talking from the other side before Harry said to him,

"You wait here and try to shift some of this rock so we can get back through. We'll go try to find Ginny!"

"Ok!" Ron called so that Riley followed Harry to a large mechanical door with snakes on the door. Again Harry spoke to it and as the door swung open Riley felt a bone chilling breeze come from inside and looked inside to see a figure lying on the ground far before them. As they entered they realized who it was and raced over to her side—because the figure lying so incredibly pale was Ginny.


	18. Seventeen: Lord Voldemort Revealed

Chapter Seventeen~ Lord Voldemort Revealed

Harry and Riley knelt next to the younger girl, felling her hands finding them icy cold as Riley noticed her face nearly perfectly white. Harry was the one pleading to her saying,

"Ginny, Ginny—oh Ginny please don't be dead. Wake up! Wake up please wake up!"

"She won't wake." a wickedly familiar voice said from the shadows said so that Riley and Harry looked up to see Tom Riddle coming out of the shadows near a massive carved head of stone so that Riley gasped out,

"Tom? What do you mean 'she won't wake'? She's not—" he kept coming over as he said easily,

"She's alive, but only just." Harry was looking at Riley in shocked amazement before asking her,

"How do you know Tom?" she turned to him and blinked not knowing what he meant as she opened her mouth to speak as she said,

"He's a ghost."

"No, a memory preserved in a diary for fifty years." Tom corrected smirking at Riley so that Harry said returning to Ginny,

"She's as cold as ice. Ginny please don't be dead. Wake up! You've got to help us Tom. There's a basilisk."

"It won't come until it's called." he replied simply so that Harry and Riley looked at him in confusion as they noticed that Tom had picked up both their wands from the ground.

"Give us our wands Tom." Riley said feeling her heartbeat picking up as both Harry and she stood up but he shook his head saying to them,

"You won't be needing them."

"Listen, we've got to go! We've got to save her!" Harry explained but Tom shook his head saying in a smooth clear voice to him,

"I'm afraid I can't do that Harry. You see, as poor Ginny grows weaker, I grow stronger. Yes Harry, it was Ginny Weasley who opened the Chamber of Secrets."

"No, she couldn't—she wouldn't!" Riley cried in shock but he turned to her saying,

"It was Ginny who set the basilisk on the Mudbloods and Filch's cat, Ginny who wrote the threatening messages on the walls."

"But why?" Harry asked so that Tom shrugged as he said to them evenly,

"Because I told her to. You'll find that I can be very persuasive. Not that she knew what she was doing. She was, shall we say, in a kind of trance. Still, the power of the diary began to scare her. And she tried to dispose of it in the girl's bathroom. And then, who should find it, but you? The very person I was most anxious to meet."

"But, why did you want to meet me?" Harry asked as Riley watched the exchange as Tom continued,

"I knew I had to talk to you, meet you if I could. So I decided to show you my capture of that brainless oaf, Hagrid, to gain your trust." only Harry stepped forward to him saying,

"Hagrid's my friend! And you framed him didn't you?!" Tom smiled a wicked smile that made Riley shiver as he nodded saying to him,

"It was my word against Hagrid's. Only Dumbledore seemed to think he was innocent."

"I bet Dumbledore saw right through you." Riley said coming to stand next to Harry in a sign of support so that Tom frowned telling them both,

"He certainly kept an annoyingly close watch on me after that. I knew it wouldn't be safe to open the Chamber again while I was still at school, so I decided to leave behind a diary preserving my sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day I would be able to lead another to finish Salazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Well, you haven't finished this time. In a few hours the Mandrake Draught will be ready, and everyone who has been Petrified will be all right again." Riley said smiling at the thought only he chuckled darkly saying with a twisted smile,

"Haven't I told you? Killing Mudbloods doesn't matter to me anymore. For many months now—my new target—has been you." and here he pointed Harry's wand at him so that Riley cried,

"No! You wouldn't Tom!" only he seemed to ignore her cry as he continued,

"How is it that a baby, with no extraordinary magical talent, was able to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?" at this Riley grabbed Harry's sleeve in fear as Harry said,

"Why do you care how I escaped? Lord Voldemort was after your time." only Tom smirked darkly saying to them both,

"Lord Voldemort is my past, present, and future." then using a wand writes in the air 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' before rearranging it to spell out 'I Am Lord Voldemort'. This caused both of them to jump back with Riley crying out in horrid shock,

"You! You're the Heir of Slytherin! Your Lord Voldemort!" he turned to her smiling proudly saying to her,

"Surely you didn't think I was going to keep my filthy Muggle father's name? No. I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I became the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest sorcerer in the world!" Harry snapped so that Tom snorted saying,

"Dumbledore has been driven out of this castle by the very memory of me!"

"He'll never be gone! Not as long as those who remain are loyal to him!" Harry shouted at the top of his lungs before the three heard a cry and looking up they saw a golden and scarlet bird flying into the Chamber and Riley asked,

"Fawkes?" as it dropped the Sorting Hat and Tom laughed saying,

"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great defender, a songbird and an old hat." then turning to the stone carved head began speaking in Parsletongue as Harry said,

"Riley I want you to stay with Ginny while I deal with this freak."

"No Harry I want to help!" only then they heard Tom speaking calling out to them both,

"Let's match the power of Lord Voldemort Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter! Parsletongue won't save you now Potter! It only obeys me!" then they both turned to see a giant snake appearing from the mouth of the carved head and just as they were about to cover their eyes and close them they heard Fawkes and a scream so turned to see his shadow fighting the Basilisk so that Tom cried out,

"No! Your bird may have blinded the basilisk, but it can still hear you!" then Harry was off running for his life as Riley went to go help him only felt an arm wrap around her waist and Tom's voice saying in her ear,

"If you follow him I can't save you."

"Let me go you bastard!" she cried turning around to punch at him only he laughed and smiled at her wasteful tries of escape. When she couldn't anymore because she had grown tied, she looked up at him and said,

"I thought you were my friend Tom—but you can't be. Not if you're Voldemort."

"Oh my dear—you are oh so very wrong. I have a great plan for you." she gasped in horror as Tom noticed something by her neck—her scar! Then she watched the basilisk slink into the main chamber and Harry climb atop the carved head before she noticed something in his hand—a sword! With Tom holding her tightly around the waist so she couldn't do anything, she watched Harry stab the basilisk in the mouth through his head and cheered watching the beast cry out in pain before it fell down dead. Only her joy was short lived as she watched Harry crawling towards the two of them.

"Harry!" she cried seeing he had been stabbed by the basilisk as he crawled over to Ginny.


End file.
